


Wonderwall

by zayntopsall



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gang Life, Gangleader!Zayn, M/M, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-31
Updated: 2013-09-17
Packaged: 2017-11-27 16:03:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 43,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/663884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zayntopsall/pseuds/zayntopsall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gang leader Zayn Malik was known for having a heart of steel: never feeling remorse for his enemies or single care for his followers. But after hearing the voice of Niall Horan inside a bar, something inside his chest melted in an instant. He never felt the urge to protect a complete stranger whom he thought has always been there, waiting for him.</p><p>Zayn was ready to give him everything and give up all the things he gained and wanted in his life just to earn a place inside Niall’s heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Let me hear you fucking beg for your life.” Zayn smirked as he landed a hard smack on the person’s chin, his face swinging violently with a loud grunt, blood spluttering all over the floor. The person coughed and his words came out of his voice incoherently, his whole body flinched, moving hard to get away from the ropes that bind his hands behind him. “What? I didn’t quite hear you.”

Zayn lifted his chin, his hazel eyes burn with such amusement as he stares into the person infront of him, almost in the verge of dying. But he didn’t feel any pain or remorse. This was a normal thing. Punishing those who betrayed him and hearing their voices call his name as they beg for second chance.

He was the famous Zayn Malik. He was the only grandson of the well-known gang leader in Bradford. And everything his grandfather earned was all passed down to him: the protection, the fame, the power and the money. But he did not just stand there and gobbled up everything. He worked hard, he trained and he chose his followers. He doesn’t really give a shit if they were strong or if they were smart, as long as their loyalty lies on him, it was fine. Because they all knew what they will end up to if they try to betray him.

“P-pleasee…I didn’t have a choice…They were going to kill me if I don’t tell them where you are…”

“And you think you wouldn’t die if you come in here asking for my help after you tell them where I am?” Zayn took a step back, he run his fingers through his hair, a sardonic smile marked on his face; “You think, I’m going to welcome you with open arms after you cower in front of everyone else who remained their mouth shut? You gotta be kidding me, Nathan.”

Zayn landed another hit on the person’s liking, he roughly coughed, his whole body struggle to curl from such pain that even the people around them felt the pain piercing in through their bodies. Some of them flinched, while others remained static, this was something they have to get used to. All of them knew that even with this cold heart of Zayn, lies a person who never forgets his word. When you give him his loyalty, you get all the things you want, if you work hard on it.

“Hey, Z. Cut it out, we’re running late for Liam’s birthday.” A low, husky voice entered the room, and for a moment, everyone was able to catch their breath. If there was one person who was able to ease teh tension between Zayn and his followers, it would be his curly cousin and right hand, Harry Edward Styles. “You’re having too much fun, leave that dirty job to them.”

“Get your dick out of here, Harry. I’m teaching them a lesson.” Zayn grunted as he slightly cocked his head towards his direction and went back to the person who was already half-dead in front of him. “Oy, don’t you pass out on me now!”

“Jesus. Just let it go, okay? Liam wanted us there for the next five minutes! And I don’t want to be late.” Harry walked his way towards Zayn who acted as if he didn’t heard anything and kept talking to the person seated in the middle. “If Louis and I fight again, I will drag you to him and make you talk.”

“You and your fucking gay arse are always interrupting me.” Zayn harshly let the young lad’s hair go, before he completely turns to Harry who was rolling his eyes from his statement. He searched for someone from the people who watched them and signalled one of them to come closer. “I want this piece of shit out of my sight by tomorrow you got that? Make sure I won’t see his face again or he’s dead.” 

The tall man nodded, calling other guys to get Nathan out of his chair while Harry and Zayn both headed outside the room as if nothing happened.

—-

“Where are we going anyway?” Zayn asked as he opened the door to the passenger’s seat of Harry’s top down Audi, still brooding over the interruption of his little game inside.

“To some bar Liam rented. I guess it’s just for his close friend and his relatives.” Harry followed inside the driver’s seat, fixing his hair before he starts the car.

“What is he? A twelve-year old teenage girl who still bothers to celebrate birthdays?” Zayn chuckled hearing Harry laughed as well, he adjusted himself comfortably from the rush of air flowing into his hair, lights coming to a fast blur from Harry’s rapid driving. “You know I hate socializing, Haz. Why do you even have to drag me there?”

“It’s for your own good, Zayn. You do know that Payne’s a great friend of our family for generations. You have to keep up with that if you want to have powerful and loyal partners. Just try to fake a smile and go ahead and get drunk, I’ll drive you home.”

Harry turned to the right, a bright street welcomed them, different bars stood side-by-side, strip clubs and karaoke rooms surrounded them. Some people who seem to recognize the two people riding the luxurious car started to give their way and gave their own interpretation of respect in which Zayn found quite annoying.

“You got a good way of making an excuse of trying to get laid tonight.” Zayn smiled as he stepped out of the car, watching Harry’s face burn in embarrassment. He was just too easy to figure out.

“Why don’t you try finding yourself one, Zayn? Tonight might be your lucky night.” The younger lad put his arm on his shoulder as he ushered him inside the bar, the guards giving them a clean way to enter.

Zayn just let the thought slip into his mind. Why does he have to find someone if everything he wanted was right in front of him? He doesn’t have to worry about anything else. How Harry would sometime be in a bad mood because he and Louis fought over something, or because he was always running late or because Louis is such a bitch that he keeps getting his cousin so jealous of everything. His life was already complicated he doesn’t need to add drama on it anymore.

“Zayn! How good to see you! Come here, I’m going to introduce you to some of my friends.” Liam slings his arm around his neck as if they knew each other for a long time and even though he hated this feeling, he kept up with the facade. He knew he have to go onto this cycle for his whole damned life but he just couldn’t get used to it.

He could only nod to him in response, his eyes searching for that bastard Harry Styles who was supposed to help him with this socializing was suddenly gone the moment they stepped inside the bar, sure enough; he’s looking for his beloved boyfriend out of the crowd.

Everything was so noisy and the fake laughter he keeps on hearing everywhere makes it worse. Liam brought him with his circle of friends. Girls trying to get his hands on him; trying hard to impress the Bradford leader who could give you anything you want. But Zayn wasn’t up for it today. He was tired and plastering a fake smile on your face makes it more exhausting.

Finally, he saw Harry and Louis all huddled up in the corner. Eyes not leaving each other, Louis’s lips pressed on Harry’s jawline, there were whispers in between, and they seem to be enjoying themselves too much. Zayn had never seen Harry that happy whenever he’s with him or they’re out trying to widen their territory; it was only that when he’s with Louis was that he was able to see that natural smile of Harry marked all over his face.

Zayn wondered if he’ll be like that when he finds someone like Louis in his life. He almost thought that Harry was joking when he came up to his room one night and told him he’s head over heels with a guy. It was hard to imagine. The ‘cold-hearted’ Zayn Malik of Bradford, alone with a person in the corner and doing the same thing Harry and Louis was doing, saying things as if it was quoted from a book and having sleepless nights. He smiled to himself, ‘course it won’t fucking happen.

—-

The night was getting deep and more people are getting into Zayn’s nerves. One girl tried to drag him to the dance floor and started grinding her ass on his, he almost pushed her if it wasn’t Harry who pulled him away. He doesn’t want to sit with the couple as well, they were just too sweet he felt like throwing up even though he hadn’t drink anything yet.

“Where are you going?” Harry asked, his eyes leaving Louis’s for a minute.

“It’s suffocating in here, I think I’ll go smoke outside for a while.” Zayn replied. “Call me when something happens.”

“Not much difference when your lungs’ the one getting suffocated, Zayn.” Louis interjected and he just smiled back, he was far from being in a mood to say something back.

—-

He was about to turn into a dark alley when a small bar caught his attention. He saw its insides through a clear glass and it was awfully empty. He could count the people inside with his fingers, including the workers in there. He stepped closer into the entrance and saw the sign:

“Wednesday Night: Acoustic Sessions.”

It was really stupid for a bar as small like this would even try to get some attention by posting ‘Acoustic Sessions’ on their doorstep when you’re located into some place where everyone wanted to get drunk and get laid, not serenaded.

But since he was looking for a quite place to cool his head off, he opened the door and headed inside, trying hard not to get too much attention from those who seem to recognize him. The stage was empty, and when his eyes travelled, it seems to be that the show was just about to start. He grabbed a chair somewhere in the middle of the floor, enough for him to see who’ll be singing and have a good look at the glass window if ever Harry steps out of the bar and go looking for him.

In the corner of his eye, he saw someone approached the platform: a medium-height blonde guy with a guitar slinging all over his shoulder, Zayn wasn’t sure if it was the light or he was just that pale. He looked so young to be working on a bar, but Zayn almost forgot about his thoughts when he saw how gorgeous the lad’s eyes were. And it was looking straight at him.

“H-Hi. I’m Niall. And I’m going to sing, Wonderwall by Oasis. Hope you enjoy, thank you.”

Niall. The name itself made him feel something in his chest that he never felt before. It made him cringe, but it wasn’t that bad. It was a good feeling but it was something new he doesn’t even know how to describe it. It was as if this whole time, someone was holding his heart so tightly and the moment their eyes met and he heard his voice, it let his heart go, letting all the blood rush back to his veins.

Today is gonna be the day  
That they’re gonna throw it back to you  
By now you should’ve somehow  
Realized what you gotta do  
I don’t believe that anybody  
Feels the way I do, about you now

Back beat, the word was on the street  
That the fire in your heart is out  
I’m sure you’ve heard it all before  
But you never really had a doubt  
I don’t believe that anybody  
Feels the way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk are winding  
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding  
There are many things that I  
Would like to say to you but I don’t know how

Because maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me  
And after all, you’re my wonderwall

Today was gonna be the day  
But they’ll never throw it back to you  
By now you should’ve somehow  
Realized what you’re not to do  
I don’t believe that anybody  
Feels the way I do, about you now

And all the roads that lead you there are winding  
And all the lights that light the way are blinding  
There are many things that I  
Would like to say to you but I don’t know how

I said maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me  
And after all, you’re my wonderwall

Zayn was suddenly caught in a vortex of awe and disbelief. He had never heard a song that touched his heart that much. Was Niall sitting there all his life waiting for him to enter and sing to him this song? He stared at him with outright bewilderment and amazement.

He had never admired someone just because of his voice…or was it more than just that?

Why were the images of Harry and Louis cuddling suddenly flashed before him? Why were the thoughts that he had been thinking a while ago started to stir into his mind? He doesn’t have any idea what he was feeling all of a sudden. Did Harry felt this when he first saw Louis trying to win over five man by himself?

His eyes couldn’t stop staring into the lad who was off to leaving the stage. He suddenly saw himself sitting next to him, listening to his songs, all by himself, not with these people who don’t even recognize the talent that was laid infront of them.

He had to do something. He couldn’t just let this person go after making him feel like this. After all, he was Zayn Malik. And he was born to get everything he wanted, whatever the cost.


	2. Chapter 2

Niall rushed to the backstage, his heart pumping so fast. It wasn’t because of the adrenaline rush that his performance was suddenly over. It was because of something…or to be exact, someone.

He walked into his room, his thoughts filled with this stranger who watches him with such concentration; no one has ever showed him in his past performances. Was that person drunk or was he just imagining things? Maybe it was the second one since he never imagined anyone listening to him because they liked his voice, or because it was an Acoustic Night, he was just there, a mere decoration on the stage for the people who stumbled onto this small bar.

“Hey Niall. Someone wants to meet you on our exit. Seems like he’s interested in you. Go check him out. He looks rich.” Paul, the bar owner, ushered him towards the door, giving him a piece of envelope for his pay on this night. “I’ve added something in there, if you know what I mean.”

He gave his boss a startled look, but Paul just tapped his shoulders with such glee and amusement. What was that suppose to mean? And who was that person interested in him that wanted to meet him? His heart suddenly raced by the thought of the stranger who was watching him intently, could it be him? And what does he want? And why does Paul have to mention to him that he looks rich?

Before he reached for the door knob, he found the urge to open the envelope. He counted the money and surely, he added a couple of pounds. He smiled to himself; maybe that stranger liked his song and he gave Paul some money for entertaining him, thus, giving him an extra pay. Niall was already grateful, smiling from ear to ear, at least, he’ll have a chance to meet and thank him.

He slings his bag on his shoulder, the other one for his guitar case and opened the door.

“Finally, I thought you’ll never leave.” A voice came from the part where no light hits his face. The dorr’s exit was located in the dark alleyway, a few walks before the main road, and he squints his eye to take a better look on the person. Why does he feel so nervous all of a sudden?

To his shock, that person wasn’t who he was expecting to be. He was too tall, his long hair resting on his shoulders, eyes that looks like they’re going to fall any second, a crooked nose and a sneering smile that gives him chills running down his spine. He wasn’t that stranger.

He backed away, bringing his hands toward his chest, grasping hard on his bag’s strap. He can’t remember someone like him watching him while he performs, or was he concentrating too much on that stranger who was looking back at him intently?

“Why do ye look so scared? I ain’t gonna do anything bad to ye,” The tall man stepped forward and Niall stepped back again, he couldn’t find himself to believe this person, on what he’s saying or whatever he was trying to convince him to believe, “I’ve been watching ye the whole time, ye got a good voice…”

Niall froze when his hands swiftly pass to his face, caressing his cheeks with those fingers filled with large rings, he wanted to cry for help, he wanted to scream and run away but he couldn’t move a muscle, he was too scared to.

“Ye got a good face, boy. I gave yer boss some money, wanted to have ye by myself.”

So that was the reason why Paul gave him the extra cash. So that this person could do anything to him, is that it? He turns his face away but the person kept his chin in place, studying him closely. His face was too near now he could smell the stink of alcohol everytime he breathes. He had to get away; he didn’t apply in this bar to be someone whom anybody could just take home whenever they want to or because someone gave their boss some money; he wasn’t that kind of person.

“What are ye struggling for? Ye don’t want to die in here do ye?” His voice was stern and to his horror, Niall caught a glimpse of black steel that peeked into the inside of the man’s coat, a gun. “Ye see that? Ye don’t want that to go piercing into yer body now, yeah?”

Niall found himself paralyzed onto his position, if he struggled, it would be the end of him. An unfortunate death. Killed in a dark alleyway, his murderer nowhere to be seen. That’s it. The man pulled his bag out of him, and his guitar case next, Niall was staring blankly into oblivion now, he still wanted to struggle but his hands were now pinned on the wall, up on his head, the guy was slowly inching his body next to him.

Inside his head, he was calling for someone. He was screaming but no words just came out from his mouth. A wet feeling trailed on his neck, making him shiver into his position, hearing slight chuckles on his collar. His tears building up on his eyes, why was he too weak to fight? Why can’t he even stand for himself, kick him to his gut and run away? He needed someone, someone who’ll save him.

—-

“Thought I’d find you here.”

Niall heard another unfamiliar voice. He felt his body tensed when the person who was pinning him, suddenly backed away, he opened his eyes and a tear run down his cheeks.

“Get out of here, it’s none of yer –“

Niall jumped when he saw the person suddenly down on his knees, holding his chin and grunting in such pain. It was too fast. The person had landed a hit on his face without him noticing and now, he was standing next to him, that person who was the one who really watched him inside. The one whom he was expecting to see the moment he opened the door.

“Thankyou…” But his voice trailed off, and his vision was starting to get hazy, his knees were giving in and his body was suddenly feeling so heavy. He thought he heard the stranger said something to him but he wasn’t able to comprehend any of it when slowly, darkness enveloped his whole sight.

—-

Zayn walked into the hallways, his steps not heavier than the usual, and if his followers heard it, they might’ve thought it was an outsider.

He run his fingers to his hair before he turn the knob to the guest room’s door, opening slowly as he was welcomed by the ambient light coming from the lamp.

He carefully shut the door behind him, not wanting to wake the person who was peacefully asleep. He sat on the corner of the bed, watching him intently more than how he had watched him a couple of hours ago. This was weird. This night was stranger than what he expected it to be.

He was just supposed to light up his cigarette, de-stress from all the fake smiling he was doing on Liam’s birthday and his cousin’s attachment to his boyfriend, Louis. He stumbled inside a bar, trying to get away from all the noise and then he found himself listening to the voice of this person; Niall. It may be his voice, or the way his mouth moved as he sings, or it was his pale skin that looked so delicate that Zayn started to feel odd kicks on his stomach, a prickling feeling that started on the end of his palm all the way up to his chest and he swore that never in his whole life, did he felt something like that before.

And now he found himself sitting in the corner of his bed, staring at this young lad, looking so innocent in his sleep, his hair ruffled beneath the pillows and his lips slightly apart from the gentle snores he was making. It didn’t surprise him that anyone would find the urge to attack him in the dark because who wouldn’t? He looked genuinely weak, someone who wouldn’t be able to stand for himself. And Zayn was supposed to hate it. He was supposed to hate weak people who can’t save themselves and expect people to go saving them anytime, but with him, it was different. He didn’t despise Niall, he didn’t even feel like laughing or looking down at him.

He wanted him to stay by his side, all the time, so that no one could ever touch or hurt him. That he would always be safe. Zayn should be laughing to himself as he said those words inside his head, imagining him with Niall, protecting him. But he didn’t feel like doing it. If he was serious about this one or he was just going by his instincts, he didn’t really care.

Because right in this very moment, he felt like someone had just ignited a flame so hot it was burning the walls he build around his cold, steel heart.

—-

“No, Harold. 3’o clock – are you fucking stupid – what? No. Shut the fuck up…” Niall forced his eyes open, the light from the window was too comforting he wanted to sleep more but something was different. His pillows were too soft; the sheet that was covering his body was too smooth and relaxing, and the room – it was too big. This is not his room. This is not a hotel room. Then where the hell is he?

He heard a movement on his right. He tried to remember what happened before he was brought in this, beautiful and elegant room. He played the guitar on his scheduled date, he was watched by a stranger that made him feeling uneasy and then Paul gave him an extra pay – then a man tried to sexually assault him, bringing a gun and then, that person was suddenly down on the ground and he saw, he saw the person watching him back there and then – he passed out.

He sat up all of a sudden. Fear crawled onto his senses, he held his chest, he wasn’t shot was he? Now that he realized it, he was in new clothes.

“Shitshitshit.” He was suddenly filled with thoughts such as he the person who saved him was killed, shot by the man who attacked him, he was drugged he had no idea what happened to him last night and now, he’s inside the room of that person and he was going to be his slave forever. “This can’t be. This can’t be. It’s my fault.” He buried his face onto the sheets, guilt building up. “It’s all my fault…”

“What is it that’s your fault?” A voice made him turn to his side, gasping by the sight of the stranger who saved him, safely seated on a couch near his bed. His chin rested on his hand, he was alright. He didn’t die. If that’s what had happened, then that means this room…

“You look scared. Are you alright? Did you have a bad dream?” His voice was worried and it sends a tingling sensation down his spine.

Niall shook his head, still couldn’t find the right words to say. He was safe and he had to thank him.

“Well, then what are you mumbling about that ‘it was your fault’?” The person adjusted himself on his seat, leaning forward and looking intently into his eyes, just like how he did last night. He felt his cheeks burn and he knew with that pale face of his, it would be quite obvious, so he just turned away.

“I thought – I thought you were dead.” Niall muttered. His eyes now concentrating on the intricate wall design of his room, travelling all the way back to the large glass window, a cast green field spread up to where his eyes could reach. He was never in a room like this and this might be as close to a dream.

He turned to look back at the person when he heard him chuckled. “Why would you even think I’m dead?”

“Because that person had a gun! He could’ve shot you or something…”

“Unfortunately, he didn’t. And you’re safe, so am I so you could stop worrying now.” Zayn smiled when he saw Niall’s shoulders finally eased, his breathing seems to be in sync again and his flushed face – God, he never met anyone who could turn red like that so fast, and so, obvious. “Are you hungry?”

Now that the idea came to his mind, Niall felt his stomach grumble, although he felt like saying ‘no’, his mind said otherwise, and so he nodded.

“Good. And I’m hoping you’re famished because I asked George to prepare a lot since you weren’t able to have your dinner last night.” Zayn stood up and now Niall had a good look of his stature. He was lean, but he looks fit, his white shirt fitted on his chest didn’t show any signs of excessive and unnecessary eating which clearly shows in his body. He got nice arms as well, enough reason to hit someone and leave them on the ground and yes – his jaw. That strong, distracting jaw he kept staring at last night.

“Are you coming or you wanted to skip breakfast?” He snapped out of his thoughts – checking this stranger out was a bad idea, “You still look scared. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Y-yeah, don’t worry about me, uhm…”

“Zayn. You can call me Zayn.”

“Zayn.” Niall repeated, at the same time he fixated his eyes on those, gorgeous, deep hazel eyes. Telling to himself that there would be no chance that he will ever forget his name.


	3. Chapter 3

Niall followed Zayn as they walked down the hallways. He couldn’t believe his eyes the moment he left the room. The ceiling was too high, decorated with the most beautiful chandeliers he ever laid eyes on. The walls were vast, covered with cream-colored wallpaper, each panels were designed with different paintings, sculptures and large scale photographs. He looked over Zayn who was silently walking in front of him and Niall thought he might be some kind of collector or an enthusiast with creative things. Or maybe, he’s the son of a president of a high-class company or business. That must be it.

Another thing caught his attention as they continued to walk: these strange men who bowed down to Zayn whenever they saw him (while they look at Niall with suspicion), they really look like they respects him too much. His curiosity over this complete stranger just grew stronger by the minute.

Niall followed Zayn when they reached the main hall and – wow. Does this place even exist? This time, he got a good look on where he was standing. This is no ordinary house. This is a mansion or more or less, a grand villa. The light coming from the outside illuminates the whole place, since all he could see are large glass windows. He could see the view outside, vast, green meadows. Is he even in Bradford? How come he never saw this place, or even heard about it?

He noticed that Zayn had been waiting for him on the steps of the stairs, looking at him with such amusement that he felt the slight burn on his cheeks. Niall finally looked away from the view and followed Zayn from behind.

He then remembered that he wasn’t able to thank him properly for what he had done last night. But all of it suddenly slipped from his mind when he smelled the grand aroma of food coming from the room they were heading.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He blurted out and he earned a wide grin from Zayn. What the fuck, Niall. At least make yourself look like you don’t want to gobble up everything.

But that was what he was really thinking. Everything that was on the table looks so delicious: fruits, roasted chicken, soups, heaps of pancakes and waffles, and other foods he doesn’t recognize anymore but still, they look so good his eyes were already full. He was still standing at the door when Zayn pulled a chair and asked him to sit.

“W-where are the others?” Niall asked. Still not getting over by how near he is with the roasted chicken now. He could literally taste it now.

“No one’s coming. It’s just the two of us.” Zayn said as he pushed his chair closer to the table. He couldn’t possibly be smiling just by staring at Niall, could he?

“But, it’s too many. I won’t be able to finish it all.” Niall was moving his head to see the other servings: different slices of cakes, different kinds of bread, this is not even breakfast, this is a feast!

Zayn pulled the napkin on the table and Niall watched in awe as he spread it and put it on his lap. This guy must have been raised with such class. Zayn caught his eye and again, he smiled as he saw the flush of embarrassment from the lad who decided to fiddle with the napkin instead.

“I didn’t ask you to finish it, did I? When we’re done eating, they’ll be served to them.” By them, Zayn meant those people who have been bowing at him every time they see him, right? Niall might’ve guessed it right; since Zayn nodded the moment he looked at the guy who was at the door they came into.

“Oh.” Niall replied. He took the courage to imitate what Zayn did on his table napkin and put it on his lap.Zayn watched him as he finally held his utensils.

This is unnerving, Niall thought. Zayn must’ve been laughing at him right now, looking all stupid doing these simple things. The way he holds his spoon was million ways apart from how Zayn holds his.

“Don’t mind what I’m doing. Just eat the way you always eat.” Zayn kindly said. Niall was about to say something to regain his position of a guy who doesn’t even have any manners at all, but seeing Zayn starting to eat, he could feel the rumble on his stomach again and it’s probably the right time to forget about it and just well - eat.

Three pancakes, two waffles and croissants, a large chunk of chicken, a bowl of soup and a mug of hot chocolate – this was the most heavenly breakfast Niall would ever experience in his whole life, and it was showing on his face. Smiling at every bit, a satisfied ‘ah’ in each time he gulps and blue eyes glinting in each time his fork would spear into every food his eyes landed upon.

Zayn didn’t know when did he stopped eating and just preferred to watch him finish that enormous amount of food on his plate. Even George, who was on the kitchen door, was watching with wonder. He doesn’t look like he was someone who would eat that amount, and yet, Zayn was biting his lip to keep himself from smiling to widely.

This lad must’ve been on some kind of spell, because normally, Zayn shouldn’t be feeling this way. He shouldn’t have invited him for breakfast (and asked George to serve the most scrumptious meal he could ever cook), he shouldn’t have watched him when he was asleep and think of weird things because he wasn’t really into conversing with strangers and plastering fake smiles, but with Niall, everything was just so different, so natural and he felt so comfortable with him. This is getting stranger than he thought it would be, actually.

Because right now, he wasn’t just watching Niall – he was staring at him, observing every movement his face does. How his eyes flutter softly in each bite and how his mouth just swallowed each food with such grace. It was only then that Niall noticed him staring that made him look away, uncomfortably.

“I – I’m shorry. I’m not usually this hungry. I shouldn’t have eaten sho many…” Niall said. He bowed his head in embarrassment, swallowing all the food that was in his mouth in one go. Zayn had to stifle his laughter to avoid embarrassing Niall even more.

“No, no. It’s fine, really. I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn’t have watched you while you were eating. I’m pretty sure it made you uncomfortable.” Zayn took a sip from his coffee.

“This is my first time seeing such glorious food in front of me. I get a little bit excited, I guess?” Niall wiped away the syrup that was on his mouth. I should stop eating now. But he was still eyeing those untouched slices of cake that calls for a big bite.

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t bother me at all. Just eat as many as you like.” Zayn says, taking a small bite of his untouched bread.

When they were finally done, taking in a lot of effort to finally say ‘no’ from the unending offer of Zayn, Niall finally realized it was time to properly thank his saviour.

He smiled at George who took his plate and wiped his table’s part clean. When he left, together with the food (which Niall thought he could’ve gotten himself some fruits first); he started to say the first word that came to his mind.

“Thanks.”

Zayn cocked his head to his direction, lifting his elbows to the table and resting his chin on his hands. “You’re welcome.”

“N-No! Not this. I mean, yeah, thank you for this as well, I mean the food was really great. But thank you for last night. You saved me from that person.” Niall said, hitting himself mentally for being so awkward and mentally ill for mentioning the food over and over again.

“It was nothing.” Zayn shook his head. “I was just at the right place at the right time.” If Harry was there, he’s 100% sure he’ll hear his annoying voice repeating to him: Really Zayn? Right place at the right time? Since when did you watch love stories?

Fortunately, Niall didn’t seem to mind that weird vocabulary of his.

“I really thought you were dead the moment I woke up.”

“Well, isn’t it that nicest thing to hear in the morning.” Zayn raise his eyebrows.

His pale cheeks turned into that faint hint of red again. “I was just worried.”

Worried. That was just some one word – simple word to be exact – but it didn’t miss the way it brought an uneven turn into his stomach. Was he glad that Niall was worried for him? Maybe it was the other way since nobody really cared about him since he implied to protect himself and hearing someone was worried for him was really funny.

Zayn cleared his throat, brushing away those silly thoughts swimming on his head. “So, what brings you to Bradford? Your accent tells me you’re not from here.”

Niall freezes into his position for a moment, thinking if he should lie to him or not. “I’m from Ireland. I – I ran away from home.”

Zayn wasn’t really that surprised to know that he was a runaway kid. Judging by what happened last night, Niall could be this wannabe singer trying to make a name for himself in the famous bars of Bradford. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong bar to start.

Zayn was just about to ask him why he ran away from home when Niall continued instead. “My mom wanted me to be an engineer, just like my father. But I’ve always wanted to play the guitar and sing. I can’t imagine my life without it.”

Niall always knew it was wrong to narrate personal things like this to a complete stranger even though that stranger introduced himself, let him sleep in a very comfortable bed (and did nothing to him) and most of all, let him feast into all those foods. Still, Niall felt safe – that was the best word to describe it – when he’s with Zayn, even though it’s their first time to actually meet. Maybe because he had saved him that made him feel like this, but whatever it is, Niall wanted to make this moment last as long as he could.

“There are a lot of places you could’ve gone to. Why Bradford?” Zayn asks, wondering why he is so interested to know more.

“My best friend lives in here. When I called him, with my bags already packed, he told me to fly to Bradford and I have no place to go so I gave it a shot.” Niall said. His eyes fixated on the curtain that covers the view from the window. “He told me he knows someone who needed a singer, that’s when I met Paul, the owner of the bar I’ve been singing at for months now.”

Zayn saw how his eyes suddenly turn a bit disappointed when he sighed. “I never thought he allowed someone to actually buy me.”

Oh. So that’s how it is. He was actually bought by that pervert and he wasn’t quite aware about it.

“So that – Paul – he must be really furious by now. I’m sure that pervert must’ve asked for the money back.”

Niall’s heartbeat started to hammer on his chest rapidly. Why didn’t he realize it the moment he woke up? Now he’s sure he lost his first job – the only job he had.

“Yeah. I’m sure he’ll fire me the moment I get back in there. I should probably give the extra money I got from that stranger.” Niall bit his bottom lip, the image of Paul throwing him out of the bar almost made him cry. That was the only source he got so he could at least provide himself some new clothes, buy some food and give something to his friend who let him stayed there.

Speaking of which, he remembered how he didn’t call him last night. Niall fiddled with his pocket and thank God – there’s his phone.

“Shit.” Niall murmured. Seeing 27 missed calls all from the same person.

“Is there something wrong?” Zayn tilts his head to look at Niall intently, his troubled face worried him.

“I – I got to go.” Niall said, pushing himself away from the table. “I forgot to call Louis last night, because well, I fainted. He’s dead worried about me and it’s already –“He looked at his phone’s clock. “10 am! God! I’ll be dead if he calls my parents.”

“Did you just say something that sounds like ‘Louis’?” Zayn calmy pushed his chair as well, standing an arm away from Niall.

“U-uhm, yeah. Louis, he’s my best friend. The one who brought me here.” Niall didn’t really want to look like he was dying to go, because honestly, he doesn’t want to. But the thought of Louis calling his parents and telling them where he is will be the most important matter for the moment. “I – I really have to go.”

“Why don’t you just call him and tell him where you are? I’m sure –“ Zayn stopped himself when the realization on his side sinks in. He hasn’t told Niall about himself until now. Niall was looking at him suspiciously. What will he do if he learns that he’s actually standing inside the house of the most feared person in Bradford? He’s pretty sure he’d run away without second thoughts.

And his friend, that Louis. If ever, that Louis is the same person who got a large bum, tousled hair and has the same gay arse like his boyfriend, he’s certain that he wouldn’t let Niall get near to him again.

“Zayn? Are you alright?” Niall inched in a little bit closer. Zayn closed his eyes for a bit to regain his composure and looked back at Niall.

“I’m fine. Would you do me a favour?” Zayn must be bargaining something in here and it could the suspicion on Niall’s side but he’s got to try anyway, there’s no way he’d let this moment be the last time he would see Niall (even if he doesn’t know why, or why the hell is he feeling this way towards him).

“Yeah. Sure, anything.” Niall smiled reassuringly.

“Could you not speak to anyone, even to your best friend where you’ve been? Don’t mention my name, or the place or anything. Just tell him you stayed at a hotel.” Zayn said.

Niall looked confused but he was thankful that he seemed to understand his situation so he nodded.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

Zayn signalled one of the guards, and whispered something to him.

“He’ll bring you back your things and you can follow him after.” Zayn found it hard to say those words because honestly – he doesn’t want this Irish lad to go. He still wanted to talk to him, know more about him and offer him as many food and help as he can give, but he could see that his attention wasn’t with him anymore and that he would be pretty obvious if he asked him to stay for the night.

“I – uhm, yeah? Guess I’ll see you around then?”

“I’m certain that we will, Niall.”And that was everything Niall needed to hear, smiling towards Zayn from ear to ear, and walking away with the hope that he would see him as soon as possible.


	4. Chapter 4

Niall was brought back to the bar where he sang last night – it could’ve been Zayn’s orders that the car was not to take him directly to home, but he didn’t bother asking the guy who never spoke to him a single word. He still wonders why Zayn told him not to tell anything about him, and it only heighten Niall’s interest to the lad. Zayn isn’t a common person in here, he was sure of it.

When the cab stopped onto the address he stated, Niall felt the fear slowly crawling into his spine – he could already imagine Louis’s standing in front of him the moment he opens the door and it’s either he’ll hug him because he was so worried or he’ll kick him in his balls, get stuffed inside a suitcase and be brought back to Ireland without proper goodbye.

“NIALL JAMES HORAN!”Niall flinched into the doorstep, opening the door and seeing Louis on his pyjamas, foot tapping, arms crossed and his eyes glaring towards him. He might be seeing his homeland any minute by now.

Niall watched Louis as he stepped closer to him and he could clearly see Louis wasn’t able to sleep well last night – his brunette hair was flying on all directions, his eyes looks heavy and puffed at the same time and he doesn’t look very happy to see him at all.

“Did you know that I’ve been calling you for the last 12 hours and you didn’t even call me back or text just once? I need a valid reason or else I’ll call your mom!” Louis puts out his phone from his pocket, raising an eyebrow and Niall was sure as hell Louis would definitely call his mom.

“Alright, I’m sorry, I made you worry. I – I stayed at a hotel.” Niall said, fingers fiddling on the loose thread of his jumper.

“You stayed at a hotel? Which hotel did you stay at?” Louis emphasized the word which and Niall figured he must’ve searched him to some places he could’ve been. If he says the wrong hotel, and Louis found out he didn’t stay there, he’s dead, but he can’t spill out about Zayn either. He bite his lips and think of the farthest hotel he went into – and like a flash of light, Niall saw a number of hotels he passed by a while ago when he was on his way back from Zayn’s.

“Uhm, the Blue Jeans hotel…”

“THE BLUE JEANS HOTEL? That’s a mile away from where you’re working at! How the hell did you get there? That place – where the hotel is located is known for being dangerous especially at night! What are you doing in there, Niall?” Louis asked, teeth gritting on each sentence and Niall thinks he doesn’t need to be back home to be scolded by his mom – Louis was enough.

“Okay, there was this guy at the bar who tried to harass me the moment I stepped out of the bar –“

“SOMEONE HARASSED YOU?! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME –“

“I am telling you now,” Niall paused, “but I was able to run away and I get into a cab and told him to bring him into a hotel far away from that place, and then he brought me to the Blue jeans hotel.” Niall feels the heavy beating of his heart, afraid that Louis might see through his lies and forces him to tell the truth and tell him about Zayn.

“Why didn’t you just go home?” Louis said and Niall hears the shift of his tone to a gentler one, “What if that guy followed you?”

“If he followed me and I went home, who knows what he could’ve done in here. And you were out as well last night…”

“I was just in the bar in front of yours and you could’ve called me instead of suddenly vanishing without saying anything. I was dead worried when I asked Paul where you went and he said he didn’t know.”

Niall suddenly felt the anger building up inside him – Paul was the reason why he was almost near on being raped – and Louis trusted him. “I have to tell you something about Paul.”

“What about him?”

“He tried to sell me to a stranger – sleep with him or something like that. That’s why I ended up-“

“THAT BASTARD! Louis hit the wall beside him. Niall was used to seeing Louis’s angry expression, but never this – he looks like he was going to kill somebody, the reflection of his blue eyes almost turn to gray. His fist clenched and veins from his neck almost popping. Louis couldn’t look straight at Niall, like he was imagining how he’s going to make Paul suffer from what he did and Niall didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

“L-Louis, it’s okay-“

“How could it be okay? You were lucky to get away from that stranger and it was all Paul’s fault! I trusted that bastard and he’ll do this to you? I’ll kill him – I swear to God, I will.”

“No, Louis. You won’t kill anyone, okay? That stranger had a gun, he could’ve threatened Paul or else he’ll kill him. Maybe he was left with no choice, I don’t know. Just- don’t okay? I’m fine, I’m here, nothing happened. And I won’t be back there, ever again.” Niall said. He moves his hand on Louis’s back, convincing his best friend to stay calm. He has no plan on defending Paul, he was still angry at him, but he couldn’t afford to see Louis doing something reckless for him.

“Alright. I won’t do it. But if ever you find the urge to, just tell me. I’ll always be willing to do it.” Louis smiled as he did, but Niall was still sure if he joked about it, he might see Paul’s body in the headlines. “So, you’re jobless as of now?”

He wasn’t able to hide the disappointment on his expression, realizing that he was indeed, jobless and that Paul’s bar was the only place willing to have an amateur guitarist sing for their customers. He nodded instead, words unable to find its way on how he’s going to earn a living.

“Don’t worry about that. I know some place where you could work and far away from those kinds of people.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. Harry mentioned it to me last night – they’re going to open up a cafe somewhere in the Town Square. It’s much better for you to work in that kind of place, not in that filthy bar. I’m sorry I brought you there.” Louis turned to face Niall and he finally saw how dead worried Louis was yesterday.

“Yeah. I’m sorry I made you worry.” Niall wrapped his arms around Louis, and Louis didn’t think twice of hugging him back tightly.

“I was almost about to call your mom, seriously.” Louis mumbled on his shoulder, his voice sounding so tired and sleepy. “I’m just glad you’re home.”

“You should go back to sleep. Harry would definitely kill me if he sees you like this.” Louis breaks away from their contact and smiled at him before he turns and heads back to his room.

When he heard the door shut, Niall could feel the heavy weight on his shoulders leaving immediately. He felt like he was in an air tight room and he’d die any minute. He wasn’t used to lying, especially to his only friend who took care of him for the last 6 months of staying here at Bradford. But he can’t say anything about Zayn either, it’s not like he was protecting him – he just wanted to prove to Zayn that he could trust him, even though he wasn’t even sure if he’s going to meet the mysterious lad again.

He brought out his phone and realized he wasn’t even able to get Zayn’s number. How am I supposed to see him again? Niall clenched onto his phone, somehow wishing that while he was asleep, Zayn might’ve put in his number and text him the moment he thought about it.

Niall shakes his head on his own silly imagination. Why would he? He just saved him and he felt sorry because he fainted in the middle of the scene and he was left with no choice but to let Niall sleep in his house. That would probably their first and last meeting.

Niall didn’t know why he felt disappointed all of a sudden. He never felt so interested to anyone like this, let alone to a guy whom he never met before. He wanted to see Zayn again, to see that smile on his face he could never figure out what the meaning is. He wanted to listen to him talk about everything about him, what family he came from, how he lived in a place like that, why he was surrounded by guards and why he asked him not to mention his name or place to anyone. Niall wanted to know everything.

And although the thought of seeing Zayn again could be far from being possible, he holds onto Zayn’s last words to him that he was certain that they will meet again.

—-

Zayn didn’t want to meet Niall ever again and he wondered why he said that he was certain that he will meet the blonde. He sits into the corner of the bed where Niall was just an hour ago and Zayn felt like he was plotting something that could make or break his entire career on being a cold, heartless, gang leader of Bradford. He flicked the ashes that burned through the end of his stick, exhaling the smoke from his mouth, in hope that he’d be able to relax and stop thinking about Niall.

It’s not because he didn’t like the blonde – Zayn was pretty sure he did. He was just too adorable, too innocent and too amusing to watch and Zayn knows too much is dangerous, not just to his side but also for Niall. That lad doesn’t even have any clue he was standing to the most dangerous place in Bradford, he could’ve held him as a hostage or tortured him just for fun, but instead, he woke up and the first thing Niall said was that he was worried for him.

It was ridiculous. Of course, he was worried because he doesn’t have any idea who he was and if he knew, Niall would probably run around the place screaming for help. The worst part of this feeling was that Zayn didn’t want Niall to run away from him – he doesn’t want him to look at him with that fear in his eyes, like everybody did. He wanted Niall to be there with him, beside him.

He honestly felt stupid because this whole feeling was new – like he was holding a gun for the first time, the cold feeling piercing inside his skin, the danger of killing someone, the adrenaline – and all of it was being felt by Zayn because of Niall. He could stop now, he could just forget about him. He could think of it as an accidental encounter – he was right – he was just at the right place at the right time. But he’d be lying if he said he doesn’t have any intention of trying to sleep with Niall the moment his performance ended.

But then he saw that man with him, that fear in his eyes, his voice trying so hard to call for help, something felt so wrong. He didn’t want to mess with that lad, he didn’t want to see him break in front of him and then leave him like nothing happened. Most of all, he felt like he doesn’t want to see Niall with anyone else, hurting him or making him feel like that.

Zayn never believed in destiny or anything about things that are ‘meant to be’ but if ever he see Niall again, it was enough indication to convince Niall that once you stepped in the world of Zayn Malik, give him these feelings that no one ever gave him - there’s no point in turning back.

It’s just a matter of another meeting, and Niall’s world will completely flip the other way around.


	5. Chapter 5

“Well hello there lover boy!” Harry announced the moment he stepped inside Zayn’s room, cutting him off of his thoughts about the Irish lad. “It’s time to spill some beans!” He lunged at Zayn, both of them crashing into the bed.

“Are you fucking high, Harold? What are you saying?” Zayn pushed him off and Harry rolled to the other side of the bed. He can’t seem to understand how he was able to put up with his cousin who basically doesn’t know anything besides pestering him every now and then. If they weren’t related, he might’ve buried him already.

Harry turned to his stomach and raised his elbow, resting his chin on the back of his hands. “Oh, don’t act innocent on me, Zayn. There were witnesses that night.” His eyes glints with so much amusement and his wide grin was enough to tell Zayn that he indeed knows something about what happened on a certain night. “You just don’t come in rushing to me and asking for my car keys because you want to go home.”

Zayn rested his elbow on one knee, massaging the bridge of his nose. He should’ve thought of it before taking in to quick action and asking Harry to let him borrow his car so he could take Niall home. But he was left with no choice since no public transportation was allowed in the latter part of his territory.

“Aw! You’re thinking! I knew it, that night would be your night you’ll find someone! What does she look like?”

She. Zayn didn’t actually think of it – but now that he does, he could clearly say he got attracted to a guy just for a night’s performance. Sure, he slept with girls and because of Harry’s idea, he also tried with boys. But none of them was able to satisfy what Zayn wanted – he got the pleasure of course, but it was just for an hour and directly after that, Zayn had them thrown away outside the gate, never to see their faces again. So how come a mere guitarist slash singer could make him feel all those things he never felt before even without sleeping next to him?

“Are you really going pretend that I’m not here, huh, Zayn?” Harry sat up, playfully landing his fist on Zayn’s biceps. “Come on, just tell me what does she look like.”

“I’m not saying anything – and would you please, get out of the bed?” Zayn stands up, pulling Harry away from where Niall had slept. At least, if he wouldn’t see him again, there’s actually something that would remind him of Niall. Seriously, Zayn? It was just three days after you alst saw him, why are you acting like a dramatic cunt?

Harry grumbled as he stood up and followed Zayn outside the room, “Well, could you at least tell me, if she was good in bed? Or was she a disappointment you don’t want to remember?”

Zayn glared back at him and then sighed, this piece of shit just don’t know when to give up. “We didn’t have sex –“

“You were rejected?!” Harry opened his mouth in shock and Zayn swore his fist would fit into it.

“If you don’t shut that big mouth of yours, I will send you outside, and I don’t fucking care if you’re my cousin and shit.” Harry pursed his lips instantly, giggling by the lack of patience of Zayn. “No one rejected anyone, we just – talked.”

Zayn wanted to smile from the thought of seeing Niall worried about him the moment he saw himself alive – it was just priceless.

“Oh, oh – am I seeing the other side of my beloved cousin in here? If you didn’t have sex, and you two just talked then it means that you want to see her again!” Harry clapped his hands, surprising some of the guards patrolling inside the house. He skipped and danced and turned around as if he just discovered something really good. “Zayn, you’re in love!”

“What – no, are you kidding me? I, Zayn Malik, going to be in love? No way – no way in hell.” Zayn realized he said it too quickly that his instinct did the answering for him. He wasn’t sure where the lie behind those words was, but he never felt so unsure from what came out of his mouth, and Harry knows it as well.

“Remember when I said it before? I, Harry Styles, the most respected right hand of the most dangerous person in Bradford, would never let himself get distracted by any person, who has a very sexy ass, sexy voice, sexy everything – but I eventually did.” Harry chuckled and Zayn wanted to induce vomiting knowing that they’re heading to Harry and Louis’s relationship. “You can’t choose the time when you’re going to fall in love, mate. It’ll come, and if it does – not even the gang leader of Bradford could get away from it.”

He wasn’t sure what made Zayn worry about what Harry said – the thought that he was falling for a complete stranger he felt different with or the thought that he might’ve already fallen and it was too late to run from it.

—-

“You still don’t want to tell me about the details of your lovey dovey moment with that stranger?” Harry asked for the thousandth time again, as they drive their way to Harry’s opening of his cafe in the Town Square.

“I swear, Harry – shut your mouth or I’ll be the one to do it for you.” Zayn said. Harry was obviously fond of teasing him and seeing him lose control, but even with all those things he keeps on saying, Zayn can’t seem to find a way not to think about Niall. How could someone be in your mind for the whole day after three consecutive days of thinking the same person over again? It’s like he was drawn into a place where all he could see was Niall – and he doesn’t want to.

That night was just a one night occurrence. There was no possibility the world would conspire to let them meet again. After all, he’s not in some kind of movie where everything is so predictable.

——

“A black coffee,” Zayn ordered as he sat on one of the stool’s facing away from the stage where the performers of the cafe present. When Harry called out the first performer, he was half-expecting Niall would suddenly turn up and sing and then he’ll be right there, watching him like he did before. But just like he thought, he wasn’t into some kind of cliché – romantic movie where destiny seems to be playing with the character’s lives.

Zayn distracts himself from thinking about Niall again, so he decided he’ll just find some flaws on the interior and service of the cafe. He looked around and saw the tables are too crowded, their place doesn’t have a good view and the service is pretty much slower than Harry’s brain.

When the coffee arrived, Zayn heard from his back another performer who approached the stage. He didn’t bother looking back – except for the fact that the voice who introduced himself was too familiar.

“Hi, I’m Niall. And I’m going to sing ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz. Hope you liked it.”

Zayn has never been shot before, no matter how often he got into fights but if the feeling piercing into his chest was enough to make him think that this was how it felt like. He felt cold, and the steam coming out from the coffee wasn’t helping. The voice slowly crawled into his back until it serenaded his ears – he couldn’t be wrong. This voice was Niall’s.

He swivels the stool and even though it shouldn’t have surprised him that it was indeed, Niall, he still did. Three days, and it seemed like a very long time that Zayn might’ve come running towards the stage and take Niall away from his lame audience – is this how it actually feel like missing someone and seeing that someone again?

He still couldn’t believe it – this was too cliché, too meant to be – was there actually someone up there watching his life turning over into a complete mess? What if Niall sees him, asks him why he never tried to find him again and that he wasn’t that certain anymore that they’ll meet again, because to be honest, he really doesn’t want to. He was someone Zayn wanted, but he knows he couldn’t take – he’s too precious and by precious means that e could be anyone’s target when his enemies started to see Niall with him all the time.

He couldn’t risk Niall’s life just because of an unknown feeling. And he knows, even with this situation, Zayn still finds the time to care for Niall – he never did any of these things, let alone think of it. But this is different.

Niall is different.

—-

When his performance ended, Zayn was thrown into a quicksand of choices – will he approach him or will he act as if he doesn’t remember him anymore? It would be the verdict of what will happen next, to him and to Niall.

“That kid’s a good one, don’t ya think, Zayn?” Harry sat beside him, elbows on the table as they watched Niall get off the stage. “Louis recommended him, and he’s got talent.”

“Louis? You mean, your Louis?” Shit. He nearly forgot about the weird resemblance of the name of Niall’s bestfriend and Harry’s boyfriend – if they’re the same –

“Yep. My Louis. It’s actually nice to hear it from you, but yeah, he’s his bestfriend – he came from Ireland, runaway kid trying to pursue his dreams.” Harry chuckled, and like a light bulb, Zayn decided to do something that would clearly change the course of his life.

“Harry, I need to tell you something.” Thinking it was about the girl-I-did-not-have-sex-with-but-we-talked incident; Harry hurriedly turned to him and gave all his attention to Zayn. “Will you stop acting like a stupid kid.”

“I am a stupid kid, Zayn. Now off to what you’re about to say, please!”

“Okay, you better listen close, take note of every detail because you’ll be telling this one to another person who could actually kill me.” Zayn warned, and even though Harry had no idea what the actual fuck his cousin is saying, he nodded. “Alright then.”

And so Zayn narrated every little thing of what happened the moment he stepped out of the bar, saw another small bar, heard Niall, saved Niall, let Niall sleep and eat on his house and almost everything – except for the emotions that were attached while he was at it.

“So – that – oh. My. God. I knew it, I fucking knew it, Zayn! You and I, we’re the same!” Harry clapped his hands again. “So Niall – wow, I mean, you two are meant to be!”

“Save the destiny shit for later, you still have one thing to do – tell it all to Louis, and when I say all – all of it. Every small detail that small brain of yours could take.”

“Yes, emphasizing dearly onto the part that you saved him, yeah?” Harry asked and Zayn nodded. Rightly after their chat, Louis arrived into the front door and quickly found where Zayn and Harry was as if he got some radar on his nose or something. “And here goes my Louis.”

“Harry – remember what I told you.”

“Aye, aye captain!”

When Harry left the table, Zayn went back to search the place with his eyes to find a familiar blonde. When he did, his heart beat furiously again. If Louis wouldn’t allow him to meet Niall, he’s left with no choice but to not approach him ever again but if he did –

“He said, ‘yes’” Harry leaned onto his shoulders and playfully bite his earlobe. Zayn quickly yanked him away, seeing Louis standing beside Harry.

“Is it true? You were the one who saved, Niall?” Louis asked, the tone of his voice clear enough to say he doesn’t believe him saving anyone.

“Yes – and the thing about Niall not saying anything to you –“ Zayn was cut off mid-sentence as Louis stepped forward, the distance between them has never been this close.

“I don’t need to hear that part anymore, Niall will do the explaining for me. Listen here, Zayn. I’m warning you, if anything happens to Niall, I don’t care how big or small it is, you will leave him alone, in an instant, and you will never, ever, show your face to him again, understood?”

Zayn thought about it for a second and then he followed two assured nods. “I understand,”

“One more thing,” Louis halts him just as he was about to go to Niall’s table, “you’ll tell him about you – what you do, and who you are.”

“W-what-“

“If you don’t, I will. So you better say it right now. It’s better that we know if Niall wouldn’t go running away after he knows what you do – it’s better, right? At least if he says he doesn’t like you now, it wouldn’t hurt that much.” Louis smirked and he pushed Zayn back to his stool, walking his way towards Niall and whispering him something.

“Louis could be really cruel sometimes,” Harry said, tapping Zayn’s shoulders as if he was soothing him from something. “But what he said is true, Zayn. Better say things now than regret it later.”

“Alright, if that’s what he wants,” Zayn sighed. He couldn’t deny that Louis was actually reasonable for his intent. If Niall would ignore him after this then it’d be better than prolonging whatever they could develop which is made up of a lie.

“You sure about this, Zayn? This is something new to you,” Harry asked, seeing the way Zayn just looked so defenceless as he watched Niall walked closer to their direction.

“Never been so sure, Harry.” He smiled.

“Niall, I want you to meet, Zayn.”

—-

“So, you’re a gang leader?” Niall took a sip from his cup, the steam fighting against the cold wind coming from the ocean. Zayn had driven him towards the beach, taking out some coffee and both of them sitting into the car’s hood.

“Yeah,” Zayn said with a nod, they have been silent for a while after Zayn narrated him how many person he had killed, how many people was he able to throw out of Bradford city and all the other things that goes with his daily job. “Something like that…”

Niall closed his eyes by the gush of wind blowing into them. When he saw Zayn again, he was really happy – like really glad. And what made him happier is that his friend is actually a friend of him, it was like they were meant to meet in some kind of way. But knowing about this part of Zayn’s life somehow surprised him. He didn’t even realize he slept on the house of the most dangerous person in Bradford, ate his food, talked to him and walked around his house.

But Niall didn’t feel any scared at all. This whole thing he was getting into could risk his life, but Niall was willing to plunge in.

“Are you scared?”

“No – why would I be?” He smiled, but Zayn wasn’t able to hold his gaze.

“I kill people, Niall. I don’t usually talk to someone like this – but, you’re different. And you know that once you get close to people like me, things might actually happen to you.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that you still saved me back there. You could’ve just left me be harassed, but you didn’t.”

“You’ll get in trouble if you always treat people nicely,” Zayn warned him, he placed his cup on the hood and stands in front of Niall. “You can’t trust people easily, Niall.”

“Did I trust the wrong person, then?” Niall let Zayn took his cup away from him and slowly closing the gap between them.

Zayn smiled, “That’s a warning for you when you get into my world,” Zayn placed both of his hands on the car’s hood, locking in Niall between them.

Niall bit his bottom lip, his heart racing now that Zayn’s this close. He was giving him every reason to back away but this feeling inside him was too much to hold into – if Niall would regret this sooner or later, then let it be. This thing doesn’t usually happen to two complete strangers drawn by a mere situation.

He never felt like this before, and if Zayn had saved him one time, Niall was pretty sure he will do the same when Zayn needs him the most.

“You know there’s no turning back anymore once you get there.”

If it was a threat, Niall didn’t care less as he pulled him closer and drowned himself to the dangerous world of Zayn Malik.


	6. Chapter 6

“You think Niall’s going to be fine?” Louis asked behind the counter, pouring hot water on his cup. He looked over Harry whose eyes were glued to him the moment he arrived at his house, he smiled and Louis smiled back out of habit, something the two of them mutually exchanged.

“What?” Louis asked as he sat beside his boyfriend on the couch, arms pressed against each other. “I’m really worried about him.”

Harry lifted his shoulder, letting Louis rest his body on his chest whilst Harry placed his hand on the back rest of the couch. “Zayn won’t do anything to hurt him, Lou.”

“But Zayn’s new to this kind of thing – he’s never been in a serious relationship before. His longest one would probably be the longest time he had multiple orgasms.” Louis sipped from his cup of tea, tilting his head to watch Harry’s expression.

“Well, yeah – He nearly pukes when he sees us together and mentioning things like ‘love’ and ‘destiny’ makes him want to shoot someone in the head.” Harry said and Louis chuckled, putting down his cup before he could spill it over the couch. “But hearing his story back there? Shit – I felt like he’s not the Zayn I knew. He’s all smiles, hearts flying out of his eyes, and god – the way he says Niall’s name like it’s the most beautiful thing that came out of his mouth.”

Louis shook his head, fingers dragging from his cheeks to his lips, “Was Zayn even aware he was like that?”

“Didn’t tell him – he didn’t bring a gun that time, but he’s plotting my death in every way and I’m sure if I told him he looks like a teenage girl who got a response from his long-time crush, he’d kill me right there.” Harry threw his head a little, arms sliding down and hands searching for a familiar tiny hand he could lace his fingers on. “But it’s good for him, you know? Finally finding someone he could actually love or take care of.”

Louis reached for Harry’s large hands, bringing it closer to his chest, “I could never imagine Zayn being a hopeless romantic over someone, his heart is cold as Antarctica or wherever the fuck Santa lives,” He pauses, “But d’you think Niall would be safe with him? Your gang’s a big magnet for trouble, Haz.”

“Yeah, ‘m aware of that. Unlike you, Niall doesn’t really look strong for me. He could swing a few ones, but he’s not that fast and he could easily get surrounded. I hope Zayn would train him, ‘cause –ow!” Harry jerked after he felt a sting on his wrist. He saw a deep bite on his skin, then to Louis’s eyes glaring at him. “What was that for?”

“I wasn’t talking about Niall being trained or joining the gang – I won’t allow it. It’s too dangerous for him.” Louis pushed himself up and reached for his cup. “What I’m trying to say is, Niall is actually going out with the most powerful man person here in Bradford. He could be the target of Zayn’s enemies. Isn’t it a bit too risky?”

“Falling in love is a risky thing, boobear.” Harry took the cup away from Louis and put it down exactly from where he took it and pulling back Louis in between his legs. “Isn’t it the first thing you said to me when I asked you out?” Harry smirked, earning one from Louis as well.

“There you go again with your random quoting,” Louis shifted, his body completely facing Harry now. “I’m going to pretend the two of them are having a good time for now.”

“Yeah, so we can have our own too.” Harry smiled, pulling Louis closer to him.

—-

“Seriously, Zayn. This is just a pool – there’s no need to be afraid!” Niall shouted, splashing the water towards the curled body of Zayn on one of the seats surrounding the pool and pretending he was fine with watching him wherein fact, he honestly wanted to join the blonde. The thing is, Niall had a thing with the deep part of the pool and there was no way he’s going in there.

Zayn couldn’t believe he’s being a chicken just because of this. After all the tales he narrated with Niall about killing people, owning numbers of territories and being a cold hearted gang leader, he’s sitting in there, trying to think if he could fathom the expression from Niall once he learns he’s afraid of having the possibility of drowning even in this goddamn pool – his own pool.

Niall swims toward his direction and Zayn have never seen such a beautiful body and gorgeous eyes that perfectly fits the water. He could watch him in there all day, although the possibility of Niall’s body wrinkling wasn’t a good idea, but how could someone exist nearly into perfection? When Niall’s doing something or touching things, or basically being in a place and simply standing in there, Zayn swore the whole thing could light up or literally glows and it was something he could never get used to.

“What are you smiling at?” Niall rested his arms on the pool’s edge. “Thinking about something?”

“Not really.” Zayn said. “Enjoying yourself in there?”

“Almost – you can see I look stupid swimming alone in here, right?”

“Nobody’s watching, Niall.” Zayn said, taking a quick look around and seeing only silhouettes of his guards. “And besides, I’m not in the mood for a swim.”

“Or, you just don’t know how.” Niall stifled a laugh. Zayn stopped himself from looking so surprised from what Niall said, but seeing his further expression made him want to commit mass murder on whoever built this pool inside his house. “Ha – I knew it. You don’t know how to swim!”

“Niall James Horan – I know how to swim,”

Niall shook his head, laughing. He pulled himself out of the pool and Zayn doesn’t know why he immediately turned away, knowing he could see half of Niall’s naked body glistening with water, and his blue eyes looking at him and God knows what he could do to him.

“Then how come you don’t want to join me?” Zayn turned his head, and thankfully, Niall’s pale skin is somehow covered with a towel and he could comfortably look at him again as he sat on the other seat opposite to his.

“I just don’t like water that much – or it doesn’t want me, something like that.”

“I can sense a back story coming from this,” Niall said. Eyes glinting with so much anticipation Zayn don’t know how to turn him down. “Come on, spill it. Nobody’s around, Zayn” Niall teased.

So Zayn did. If Harry would be the one convincing him, he would probably be throwing him back in the pool and press in the drain button so he will never see the curly again. Zayn doesn’t like talking about the past, good or bad. It brings him to this world where there’s a point inside his head telling him that he could be better of someone else than this Bradford gang leader on a killing spree. He doesn’t like talking about how imperfect life is that he chose to be like this. He doesn’t like being judged because of his past. But then again, it was Niall- beautiful, innocent, accepting, Niall.

And seeing that small hint of excitement and happiness on his face was enough for him to open up his world.

“Well, since you asked nicely, I’ll tell you how it happened.”

Suddenly Niall was standing, dragging his feet and sitting so close beside Zayn, he doesn’t really know how to react. Their knees bumped, and shoulders slide onto each other the water evaporated from the exchange of their body’s heat. Niall shouldn’t be doing this, now that he’s this half-naked and Zayn couldn’t stop thinking about the things he could do to Niall.

And it’s this kind of feeling Zayn don’t know where to compare to. It’s this feeling that he could actually get drown into – this small space between them and him opening up his past to someone for the first time. It’s just like how he imagined it to be and being in that situation was something he wanted to get used to. Niall’s here, and he’s smiling and his heart makes this irregular flips and turns and it’s new, but it’s not uncomfortable and at the back of Zayn’s mind, he wanted to get closer – close enough to know Niall’s feeling the same way too.

“Okay, go on then.”

“Okay, my mum used to bring me here when I was a kid, while dad talks to my grandpa about things that I do now. So she was sitting here, looking at me, smiling and I was there in the middle,” Zayn pointed to the direction, “happily lying on that floating mat, when suddenly, my dad storms out of the door and shouting something like he can’t go on to what he was doing, I think it’s about the gang life, I don’t really remember it, but then my grandpa was shouting as well.”

“And then my mum left the pool, walking where my dad and grandpa were, and then she was shouting as well and I wanted to know why, so I paddled but I can’t get in to the edge so I jumped –“

“No, you didn’t –“ Niall turned to him, gaping.

“Yes, I did and then all I could remember is I was sinking and I was calling for my mum, and dad and even my grandpa. When I woke up, I’m in bed – and even I was that young, I swear I’m not going to swim into deep shits ever again.” Zayn shook his head, still not believing he narrated his greatest fear to someone. “I’m pathetic, am I?”

“Of course not. Why are you embarrassed to tell this?”

“Because I’m Zayn Malik?”

“And because you’re Zayn Malik, meaning you can’t have any flaws or fears? That’s the pathetic part.” Zayn was quite shocked from what he said he wasn’t able to say anything. “Oh God, I’m sorry – I shouldn’t have, shit –“ Niall face palmed himself, shifting uncomfortably away from Zayn. “Zayn,”

“It’s fine, Niall. It really is. You don’t have to say sorry…” He tapped Niall’s shoulders twice, he really wasn’t feeling angry, which was weird.

“Did I went too far?”

“Not at all.” No. It’s weird. It’s weird because instead of swinging his fist to Niall’s jaw for acting like he knows everything, he kind of wanted him to say more. Tell him more of what he shouldn’t be thinking. Tell him Zayn Malik shouldn’t be perfect and there’s someone, someone like Niall who could accept any part of his flaws.

“You told me a while ago you wanted to see my room,” Zayn stood up, “want to come with me?”

“Mind if I change first?”

“Of course.”

Niall gulped and Zayn knew he was still afraid about what he said.

“Niall, relax. I’m not angry, and I’m not going to hurt you.” Zayn reached for his wrist, and slowly slides his fingers down to his palm until they were intertwined, lightly squeezing it to assure him, ‘it’s okay’ and Niall finally smiled, cheeks flushed and holding his towel tightly on his other hand.

—-

Niall walked in and he couldn’t stop turning his head around. There were too many things to look at. Canvases, easels, paint cans and tubes, brushes everywhere – it was like a studio within a room. The window he had was so big it was enough to light up the whole room from the outside, Niall couldn’t believe this the room of a gang leader.

“You look so surprised. You’re not expecting something like this?” Zayn asked.

“Honestly, no. I was expecting more like a bachelor pad? Like there’s a bar near your bed, and wide screen telly’s and there’s a mini fridge, and there’s a mini bowling alley or something.”

Zayn laughed, “You really got a weird imagination. I’m not into those things.”

Niall walked closer to a painting hanging alone in the middle of the white wall, “Mind to explain me this painting?” Niall tilted his head, looking closely at the swirling colors of red, black and white.

He nearly jumped when he felt Zayn’s chest pressed on his back, his rough chin sliding and resting on his collarbones. And then Zayn’s fingers were resting on his hipbones, Niall bit his lip to stop himself from making unnecessary noises.

“That was my first painting when I become this gang leader shit here, I got into a complete gang war, and when I came home, I just did that. I almost screamed when I saw that in my bed the moment I woke up.” Zayn’s voice was too near, and every word sends vibrations down Niall’s body. He could feel his lips pressed lightly on his neck, and the air was getting tighter between them.

Zayn gently turned him around, straightening his fingers on his hipbones as he pushed him against the wall. Zayn leaned in, and their lips come to a close, soft and warm. Niall held into the end of Zayn’s shirt, it was his first time kissing a guy and he never thought it could be this good.

It didn’t take long until Zayn’s hands were holding him firmly on his chest, while Niall’s arms were around Zayn’s back as they kissed hungrily. He let Zayn take control; he opened his mouth and let Zayn’s tongue slide in, deepening their kiss, and letting their bodies move in its own accord. Niall muffled his moan when Zayn moved his mouth down to the side of his neck, sucking in that pale skin, biting and then soothing the sting with his tongue it was driving Niall crazy.

“Don’t hold back, Niall. Let me hear your voice.” Zayn whispered. “Your first time?”

“Uh-huh, yes…” Niall mumbled, fingers raking into the other lad’s hair as he went back on kissing that same spot that leaves him squirming. “Oh – shit…”

“Yeah? Feeling good?” Zayn asked, sliding in one of his thighs between Niall’s legs, brushing in to his growing bulge. “Tell me how you feel.”

“Mmhmm – so good,” Niall threw his head back against the wall, bucking his groin so he could feel more of Zayn. “I want more, Zayn…please…”

“’Course you want more,” Zayn smiled, eyes burning back at his. “D’you want to know how it feels like, then?”

“Yes, yes – Zayn…Want to feel more of you.” Niall doesn’t really care if he’s sounding such a slut or so desperate, but Zayn’s here – and he’s looking at him like he was feeling the same thing and it’s everything he needed to give his first experience to Zayn. He wants to remember him, to mark him all over his body. He wants Zayn to own him.

“I , oh!” Niall’s body shuddered in surprise, feeling Zayn’s bulge against his. He pressed his hips against his thigh, grinding slowly and watching his expressions closely. “Oh, shit, shit,” Niall knew it would be really embarrassing if he’d come just because of this, but God – this is just so good. Zayn’s fingers went at the back of his waist, pulling him closer and falling into this sweet movements and breathy moans.

“Zayn-“

“Boss, oh shit,”

Niall straighten up in an instant, and Zayn took a quick look on who’s on the door. Zayn muttered a curse, before taking a step back away from Niall.

“D’you know the word ‘knocking’, you thick-head?” Zayn pressed his fingers on his temple, glaring back at the big guy who’s life was hanging by a thread from what he had done. “What do you want?”

“I – uhm, Mr.Styles called, he said it was an emergency.”

“Did he forget to bring his lube or what?” Zayn snatched the phone away from the guard, and Niall saw the way he looked at him, like he couldn’t believe he saw the two of them on that kind of position.

“What?” Zayn was silent for a while and then his whole expression changed and Niall assumed it really was a ‘serious’ emergency. “Fuck – how the hell did that – alright, I’ll meet you there.” Zayn threw the phone back to his guard and immediately went out of the room, apologizing.

Zayn finally turned to him, and Niall can’t help but to feel so happy knowing his face lighted up when their eyes met.

“I’m sorry we have to stop here.” Zayn held his wrist and dragged him towards his bed. “Something came up,”

“It’s alright,” Niall sat beside Zayn, fingers tapping on his knuckles. “What happened?”

“Two of our secret territories were attacked and outnumbered; some fucker has been turning his back on me. And we need to find out who he is before he goes revealing the other places.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Niall mumbled, somehow referring to his situation and Zayn’s situation.

“I could see you’re really disappointed,” Zayn leaned in closer, “Don’t worry; we’ll get back on it soon and I promise there would be no more interruptions.”

“Why did I suddenly felt nervous about this?”

“Let’s just say I drastically change when I get sexually frustrated.” Zayn bit Niall’s bottom lip, “So you better be ready.”

—-

“You got it?”

“Yes boss, his name’s Niall Horan. He’s not from here.”

“So Zayn’s interested in this one?”

“He’s been spending his time with him a lot.”

“I see, so Zayn got a thing with Irish boys, eh?”

“Looks like it, and Zayn looks like he’s serious with him.”

“Alright, continue in with your research on Niall. Gather all the information you could get, I want to know this lad better. And make sure you’re not caught, is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Zayn Malik, looks like I just found your weakness.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update took so long to be posted. I’m opening my inbox to anyone who’s willing to kick my arse for being such a lame writer and getting easily distracted by things (we’ll be friends, I promise – but you have to keep up with my constant mood swings). As always, I’d like to know your thoughts about this chapter. x

“So, you two are having sex or what?” Louis asked while they were eating dinner and Niall choked on his food.”Oh, sorry. Didn’t know you were sensitive on that,” Louis laughed and Niall glared back at him. “What? I was just asking.” He feigned innocence as he forked the last piece of chicken on his plate.

“No. We haven’t done it yet. Zayn wanted it to be like – er, you know, special.”

“Because you’re a virgin.”

“I’m not a virgin!”

“Well, you haven’t been with a guy yet, so you’re still a virgin.” Louis said, grabbing his plate and trotted his way to the sink. He turned the faucet and faced Niall as he let the water run. “Zayn’s your first, what a pity.” He mocked and turned away before Niall could throw in another glare.

“What does that even mean?”

“Well, as I’ve heard from the endless tales of Harry – Zayn’s a rough one.”

Niall flinched. Zayn’s a rough one. Does that mean he would be doing weird things like handcuffs, whips and ropes? And for someone who hasn’t done it yet, Niall was 100% sure it would hurt, but from the way Zayn handled him the last time, it was far from him, being rough.

“He said Zayn’s a sadist,” Louis continued. “Harry said he got a room full of whips and ropes and a lot more than you can imagine.” Niall heard the usual playfulness from Louis’s tone, and he knew he was just joking or he was trying to scare him, yet Niall couldn’t help but to think about it. If Zayn’s a sadist, it means he’s into spanking and having pleasure from someone’s pain, right? Which actually fits his personality, being the gang leader that he is – but should that really apply when the two of them do it?

Niall’s silence was enough indication for Louis to know that he’s best friend’s taking it seriously, and he was kind of enjoying it. “Oh, and one more thing: he doesn’t like his partner to come easily.”

“W-what?!” Niall balled his fists, raking in the table cloth from what he just heard. Is Zayn really that hard to please? Niall suddenly felt nervous about the whole thing, he didn’t want his first time with Zayn to be a disappointment, but seeing himself with Zayn in that kind of state (being handcuffed, tied on a rope and his arse red from the spanking), Niall doubted Zayn would even remember what they did. What if he threw him after that? What if Zayn would laugh at him because he comes off easily? Niall’s head was buzzing with all these sudden questions.

On the other side of his brain though, thinking about those ‘things’ were both nerve-wracking and turning him on as well. He tried not to imagine himself being handcuffed on Zayn’s bed, unable to move on his will and he’ll just be there, watching and letting Zayn touch him or kiss him - - okay, so maybe he wasn’t really trying not to think about it.

“You’re horny kid!” Louis chipped in behind him, hitting his growing bulge beneath his pants. The burn travelled from his ears down to his stomach. “You’re obviously thinking about it. Don’t get too excited, Nialler.”

“I – I’m not!” Niall stammered with his flushed cheeks as he tried to cover the part where Louis hit him.

“I can’t believe you’re into kinky stuffs.”

“Louis. I’m. Not. Into. That.”

“Oh, but Zayn is!” Louis exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. The longer Niall was hearing this, the more he was getting convinced that this isn’t some kind of joke and Louis was trying to tell him the truth.

“You’re just saying that to scare me.”

“I’m saying it so you’ll be prepared!”

“Stop it!”

“Aha! You’re blushing again!”

“I’m not!”

“Niall’s into kinky stuffs – his dick got hard – Niall’s into – OW!”

Niall knocked Louis off the couch as he threw his whole body on the older lad. They wrestled and Niall threatened not to stop as long as Louis continues to sing-song about his hard-on. Unable to catch his breath anymore, Louis finally gave up and both lads crashed laughing into the floor.

“Seriously, though. Zayn didn’t do anything yet?”

Niall chuckled as he put an arm behind his head. “Actually, I think we were about to get there the last time I came to his house. We were kissing and it got a bit intense when one of his body guards came in.”

Louis laughed out loud and hysterically rolled on the floor. “I can’t believe that happened to you, especially to Zayn.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Nothing. I just want to make sure Zayn’s taking care of you and y’know, not forcing you or anything.”

“He’s not.”

“Probably because he knows you’re a virgin.”

“LOUIS - ”

“Alright, I’ll stop.” He rolled his eyes. “But it’s nice to know you guys are taking it slow.”

“Coming from the person who met a guy for the first time and gave him a blowjob that same night.”

“I can’t believe you knew about that! Did Harry told you?”

“You do know our walls aren’t that thick enough for it to be soundproof right? Well, I heard you guys that night. Harry’s voice was like ‘Oh. Fuck. Those fucking lips. Shit. Can you take more? Fuck. Sure you can. Shit. Shit.’”

Louis’s jaw dropped and his eyes were almost about to pop out from what he just heard. It was Niall’s turn to laugh at Louis’s flushed and embarrassed face. For a while, Louis stayed silent and then he sat up, smiling like a kid as if he remembered some precious memory.

“That was really embarrassing.”

“I thought you did that on purpose.” Niall cocked his eyebrow, still not letting go of the fact that Louis was supposed to be really pissed about it, not proud.

“Shut up. We were drunk and that’s the best thing I could offer to someone who helped me beat up some guys.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

“So enough with me, how’s it going between you and Zayn?” Louis propped an elbow and gave out his usual smile that probably had thousands of meanings behind it. Niall cleared his throat and looked away, his eyes finding its way to a four-leaf clover shaped clock which Louis bought when he moved in so that he would always be reminded of home (which was quite annoying when you’re a runaway kid and not some UNI student).

“We haven’t seen each other for a week.”

“Well, we’re in the same state, aren’t we?”

But it was different, Niall thought. Harry and Louis had been together for a year now and not being around Harry for some time was something Louis got used to. He and Zayn were still in the phase of getting to know each other, or more like, ‘If-I’m-bored-I’ll-find-someone-else’ kind of phase and Niall was worried that if he’s not spending a lot of time with Zayn, the latter phase may come true.

Thankfully though, Zayn tries to call and text him every now and then updating him that well – he’s still alive and he can’t wait to see him, and that he wanted his rounds in the town to be over so they could finally meet and it never fails to make Niall’s heart flutter and his whole body sings love songs because he never met anyone as sweet as Zayn, to think that he’s actually a feared gang leader.

But being the gang leader that he is was the same thing that Niall was worried about.

“You already miss him, don’t ya?” Louis interrupted his thoughts.

“What?”

“I can clearly see it in your face. You’re like this,” Louis tilted his head and creased his eyebrows, opening his eyes a bit wider as he tried his best to impersonate a ‘puppy-look’.

“Jesus Christ, Louis. You look horrible, cut it out. And I didn’t look like that!”

“It’s alright. It’s normal for you to miss him.”

“How do you do it?”

“How do I do what, exactly?”

Niall sat up and crossed his legs. He’d wanted to ask it to Louis for some time, and he never found the right timing to do so and now that they finally went to the subject, might as well grab the opportunity to have a decent answer.

“How do you keep up with Harry not being around for a long time? And you know what they’re doing, right? Aren’t you worried about him?”

“Of course, I’m worried! Do I look like I’m not?” Niall made a straight face as he nodded. Louis sighed, “Really? Good thing you haven’t heard any of our conversations yet or I didn’t want you to. Haz always tells me I sound like his mum, or more than her.”

“Seriously?” Niall leaned in.

“Seriously.” Louis stressed. “But I do that when Harry’s getting a bit over dramatic.”

“About what?”

“About everything. Sometimes he’d say I should be ready if he comes home injured or he wouldn’t be able to come home at all, things like that.” Louis chuckled but Niall caught the way his eyes looked a bit dazed as he said it and Niall knew Louis didn’t like any of those things Harry told him, hence, the scolding. Imagining Louis when one of those things Harry mentioned happens, Niall was sure he wouldn’t be able to be the same again – Louis was always happy when Harry’s around, and that was something not even a best friend could give him.

When Louis faced him, he immediately smiled back so he wouldn’t notice that he noticed the loneliness, but at the back of Niall’s mind, he was thinking the same thing. ‘What if something happen to Zayn?’ This was his first time to feel something like this and for it to end so early and tragic would be quite depressing.

He didn’t notice Louis as he approached him and tapped his shoulder. “Don’t think too much about what will happen to them, those two hardcore wouldn’t die easily. And they have hot boyfriends waiting for them, so I’m sure they’ll kill every person who stands in their way.”

Niall smiled back at Louis. “What?”

“Are you always that confident?”

“Because I called myself ‘hot’ – Niall, I’m 100% fucking sure, Zayn thinks of you that way. To be honest with you, I think me and Harry feels the same way, we could have a threesome if you want!”

“Wow. That’s a nice offer, but I think I’ll decline.”

“I know you would! Now get up and go take a shower. It’s past five, it’s time for you to get to work and don’t take too long or else I’ll take that as ‘Niall’s quality time to wank over images of Zayn spanking him’.”

Niall was able to smack Louis’s head before he was able to run away.

“Hey Lou!”

“What now?”

“Is Zayn, really a sadist?”

Louis smiled grimly, “Well you have to find it yourself.”

—-

Niall was on his way to his work with Louis, as he volunteered to take him there, when his phone buzzed.

His heart jumped from excitement as he saw Zayn’s name on his screen. He took a deep breath and made sure if he pressed the button, he wouldn’t sound like he’s waiting for days, anticipating for Zayn’s usual check-up on him.

“Hey.”

Hey.

Niall noticed how tired his voice was and he wanted to come to wherever Zayn was so he could at least make him feel better, even if he had no idea how he’ll do it.

“How are you?”

M’fine. You’re off to work now?

“Yeah.”

Louis’s with you?

“Uhm, yeah. He’s driving.”

Can I talk to him? It’s important.

OH. So Zayn called him for Louis, not for him.

“Yeah, sure.” Niall did his best not to let his disappointment be heard on the other line, but he wanted to ask Zayn why he had to go through his phone if he wanted to talk to Louis. It could’ve been better if he just directly called Louis, than make it look like he wanted to talk to him wherein fact, he do not. He hasn’t heard from Zayn for the past two days and Niall knew it’s ridiculous but Zayn didn’t even bother asking him how is he.

Uhm, Niall? You still there?

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Niall poked his phone on Louis’s shoulder and handed him the phone. Louis looked suspiciously at him but took it anyway. Niall didn’t even want to hear what they were going to talk about.

“Did something happen to Hazza – oh, hi love, it’s nice to – you fucker! Why did you take it away? What? You called me just to say that? You’re ridiculous, you know that? Fine, yeah, yeah shut up already. Whatever and oh – by the way,”

Niall was too busy sulking on his seat and staring outside the window that he didn’t notice Louis’s look at him.

“Whatever you’re trying to make him feel, it’s working.”

—-

When Niall entered the bar, he wasn’t in the mood to sing or perform anymore. He couldn’t help but to feel upset about the whole ‘Zayn-calling-Louis-and-Louis-not-telling-him-what-they-talked-about’ thing. Niall slings his guitar and scanned his music sheet for the next couple of hours and to be frank, Niall just wanted to walk out instead of messing his night further and so is his audience.

He wanted to see Zayn and talk to him and to know if he’s alright and if he missed him too, because from the sound of his voice, Niall felt like Zayn didn’t. He glanced at his phone again and sighed for the 11th time as no sign of message or call from the gang leader of Bradford.

—-

Zayn was exhausted. He and Harry have been around the town for days now, checking every territory they own to make sure the same mistake wouldn’t happen again. They recruited new members and trained them for some time so they won’t have problems of getting outnumbered. Zayn had to talk to every leader he assigned to his territory and interrogated them in order to know who’s having doubts and who’s loyalty remained.

At the end of the whole week, they all came up with one person behind this: Nathan. Harry said he did left Bradford, but instead of running away and forgot about everything that happened, Nathan went to a gang, in which they still had no idea what is it – but they were sure the gang’s against Zayn’s leadership in Bradford.

“That fucker,” Zayn cursed under his breath as the image of Nathan flashed back again and to think he was almost about to make him his other second hand. If he knew he’d be doing this, he should’ve killed him instead of letting him go.

But there was one more thing he was worried about.

Niall Horan.

He stepped out of his car and flicked the lighter open as he burned the end of his stick on between his lips. He leaned into the car hood where he could clearly see from where he was standing the glass window of the bar – and Niall performing on stage. 

This whole thing about the idiot named, Nathan made Zayn worried about Niall more than anyone or anything else. He had a hunch that this sudden mobbing of his territories was just the beginning. If this was about him kicking Nathan away and dropping all his promises of him, then Zayn knew that fucker’s going to be personal with him – and by that, it means Niall would be involve in some way.

Just by the thought of it rattled Zayn’s bones and he badly wanted to hit someone. Niall was the only person in this whole messed up world he’s in who drags him back to reality for who he really is – a human, and not a goddamn lunatic on a killing spree.

—-

Niall’s performance ended well than what he expected it to be, he even gained a few standing ovations and some audible cheers. Still, the heavy feeling didn’t go away.

And then his phone rang.

Zayn Malik.

He read it again to be sure. Zayn Malik. Niall bit the insides of his cheeks to keep himself from smiling too widely. He was supposed to be upset, not excited about it. But then again, this was Zayn and he’s calling him, that means he realized what he did, right?

“Hello?”

Why did you stare at it as if you’re thinking if you should answer it or not?

“I was just – wait – how did you –“ Niall cut himself off as he put the phone away and scanned through the faces of those who’re inside the bar, not finding a familiar quiff, Niall to look at the bar. He wasn’t there. He looked at the ceiling for any surveillance camera (wow, Zayn could be a creep if he did), but then he turned around and faced the parking lot.

His heart stopped when he realized who was that guy leaning on his car hood with a stick on his finger, and waving at him and pointing back at his phone.

Niall brought his phone back to his ear.

“You’re here.”

Yeah.

Silence.

Well, as much as I want to watch you stare at me like that, I think it’s be better if you come outside and run towards me with your arms wide open.

“Wow, are you really Zayn Malik, the most feared leader of Bradford?”

Haha. Why?

“That’s so cliché.”

Well, aren’t we already?

And maybe, Zayn was right about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation would be on the next chapter. Maybe a mature content as well? Tell me what you guys think. x


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it took so long to be updated. Yes, you’re all welcome to kick meh butt. Thank you for those who understand my situation and patient with everything. I hope this one’s worth your wait. Thoughts would be nice! :) xx
> 
> Warning: So here it is. The mature content we kind of agreed upon. Don’t expect too much. My smut skills are getting a bit rusty I suppose. *coughshandjobscoughs*

Zayn watched Niall as he opens the door of the café, his lips slowly pulling up into a gentle smile as the blonde walked closer, guitar slinging on his right shoulder and a cup of coffee on his other hand. When he was finally able to smell the bittersweet aroma of the drink, he lifted his head and just like that - he forgot about everything he was thinking of.

“Uhm, coffee?” Niall said, slightly pushing the cup to his direction. “You looked tired so I thought you might want one.” Zayn’s lips curved a bit higher as he took the cup and brought it closer, letting the steam rest on his face. His eyes followed Niall as the lad carefully removes the guitar over his shoulder, putting it down to the concrete and stood beside Zayn, both of them leaning against the car hood.

“I was expecting a run, with arms wide open, Niall.” Zayn said before he took a long sip. “Not a coffee.”

“What? I – well, I thought it was a joke, so-“ Niall stopped mid-sentence as Zayn used his free hand to curve it around Niall’s waist, pulling him close and pressing a light kiss on his lips. Zayn had to close his eyes as the warm, familiar feeling settled on his mouth. It was the feeling he’s been missing for the past seven days that he wasn’t able to see Niall.

It felt more than his home. He knew it was more than that and Zayn could never compare the feeling to anything. It was a mixture of pain when he was away, longing and excitement when he finally saw Niall walking closer to him, and then pure bliss when he was finally able to touch him, to feel his body against him, his lips, his scent and hear his voice, personally.

When he felt a sharp squeeze on his shoulder, that was when he realized, he was already smothering Niall.

He pulled away, smiling and shaking his head. “Sorry about that.” He grazed his thumb on his lips, seeing how visibly swollen it become and smiled wider when he saw how flushed Niall’s face was. “You’re blushing.”

“Well thank you for pointing that one out. Of course, I’m blushing!” Niall playfully hit his chest. “Who in the right mind would kiss like that in public?”

“I’m obviously not in the right mind, so I think I have the right to do that. And besides...” Zayn put down his drink on the hood and stepped in front of Niall, his hands on both sides of his hips, locking Niall’s body. “...I’ve missed you. Am I not allowed to do that?” Zayn smirked, his finger holding Niall’s chin up and bringing their lips together. “Louis said you missed me so much you’re sulking on his car on the way here. But I don’t see anything.”

Niall suddenly moved away, knocking the cup off the hood and completely spilling everything on the floor. “I – I wasn’t sulking! Louis was just making that up.”

“Oh, so are you saying you didn’t miss me?”

“I didn’t say I didn’t. I said, ‘I wasn’t sulking’.”

“But Louis said you did.” Zayn was biting down his lips, trying hard not to look like he’s making fun of Niall who was fidgeting in front of him. “And I heard it too.”

“Heard what, exactly?” Niall frowned, crossing his arms.

“You know, when I was asking for you to give your phone to Louis, I heard the sound of disappointment coming out of your mouth.” Zayn leaned forward and smacked his lips back on Niall’s before he could push him away. “You’re really fun to tease.”

“You did that on purpose didn’t you? You called on my phone instead of calling Louis’s phone instead. You wanted me to get all these – these feelings!” Niall said as he made this claw-like hands hovering above his chest.

“What feelings?”

“These feelings!”

“I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with that.”

“You’re evil, Zayn Malik. I’m talking about the way I feel when you’re not around. You make it all worst when you called and talked to Louis, through my phone! There, I said it!” Niall pouted and really, Zayn just wanted to cup his cheeks and smother him again with a kiss until his out of breath and asks for more because Zayn never thought he would have a thing with people pouting – or Niall, to be exact.

“Come on. Don’t go cross your arms like that. You look like a kid who lost his balloon or something. I was just teasing you.” Zayn took a step forward and quickly linked his fingers on Niall’s. “It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who’s going through all that shit when you’re not with me.”

“So you felt it too?”

“What?”

“The feelings I was talking about.”

“Yeah,” Zayn gently squeezed their palms together, “Yeah, I felt that too.”

\---

“Uhm, Zayn – who’s gonna drive if you’re in the backseat too?”

“Who says I’m going to drive right now. You need to do something for me.” Zayn said, shutting the car’s door.

Niall swallowed hard. Hopefully, it wasn’t just him who was feeling it – but the air inside the car tightened and all he could think about was the discussion he had with Louis. Are they really going to do it here in the car? What if somebody had seen them in the middle of, doing ‘it’? Or isn’t going to be hard for both of them, awkward and all? He wasn’t really expecting a car sex, but he thought a bed or a couch could’ve been better for his first time.

“Niall? Are you alright? You suddenly stopped blinking.” Niall blinked twice, as if he just woke up from a dream, seeing Zayn’s hand waving in front of him.

“I, uh – what is it that I – I need to do?” Niall dug his fingers on his thigh, preparing himself for whatever request Zayn was going to ask. Please don’t let it be spanking already, he thought. He wasn’t prepared for that yet. And hearing the constant taunting of Louis about Zayn’s kink and pet peeves (and his dick) wasn’t really helping him at all.

“Sing for me.”

“What?” Niall blinked.

“I said, sing for me. With your guitar.” Zayn reached down the guitar and hand it over to Niall who was still a bit shock from what he heard. Zayn nudged the instrument on his hips that was resting on the seat and Niall let out relived breathe as he took his guitar by the bridge. Niall wanted to kick himself for thinking all those dirty stuffs immediately just because the two of them are alone inside the car, on an empty parking lot and having a poor lighting – it’s not always about sex. Niall made a mental note that he’s not going to discuss anything with Louis about Zayn’s sex life, ever again.

Just when he was about to ask Zayn what to sing, Zayn chuckled.

“What?”

“Your face.”

“What’s wrong with my face?” Niall brought his hand up and touched his cheeks, lips, and forehead; nothing seems to be wrong in any of it.

“You’re thinking of something else, aren’t you?” Zayn’s lips curved into a smirk only Niall could interpret as having the same thoughts he was thinking a while ago.

“What? No! I was thinking of the same way too!” Sing for you. Of fucking course.

“You’re lying,”

“Zayn, I’m not lying. What else would I be thinking?” He feigned laughter and then looked away, biting his bottom lip and pressing the strings tightly with his fingers it was starting to hurt.

“Well, we’re alone in a car, on an empty parking lot and having a poor lighting – it’s not wrong to think about ‘it’, right?”

“About what?” Niall’s jaw dropped and he wished he didn’t ask the question when it ran through his mind. Niall really wanted to hit his head with the guitar, knowing he was just making things worse for his situation. Of course he knows what was running through Zayn head! Niall was thinking the same way too – but asking it as if he doesn’t know it, made him feel like he was clearly pushing it. Like he wanted it to happen.

Zayn just stared back at him, still smirking and the intensity of the way Zayn looked at him like he was studying him.

Niall decided he could still veer the topic away. “Okay, I’ll start now-“

“No.” Zayn’s hand stopped his fingers from moving to a chord. “I changed my mind. We’ll do something else, instead.” Before Niall could say something, or maybe – explain (if there’s even something to explain), Zayn took away the guitar from him and put it on the passenger seat. Niall’s mind went blank as Zayn moved closer until his back was pressed against the car’s window.

“So, tell me – are we thinking the same thing now?” Zayn stroked his cheek, eyes looking down to his lips back to his eyes. Niall gripped the end of Zayn’s shirt and nodded slowly.

“Uhm sex?”

Zayn chuckled. “No – we’re going to make out, and maybe get a bit touchy, but no – we’re not having sex here.”

“Oh.” Niall felt relieve, but the sound came out a bit different from what he expected it to be

Zayn tenderly pinched his right cheek. “You know you have to stop sounding so disappointed, Niall. That ‘Oh’ of yours is making me change my mind all of a sudden and you don’t want that.”

“Oh-“

“Are you teasing me?”

“Wha-wait, what? No. It just came out of my mouth. It was different from the way I said it earlier.”

“From what I’ve heard, it’s quite the same.”

“I swear-“

Zayn cut him off as he pressed his lips on his. He closed his eyes rather slowly, and wiped away all the things he’s been thinking and about to think as he just let his whole body feel the warmth and the tenderness of the kiss. The gentle kiss didn’t last long as Zayn started to part his lips by his tongue, his head slightly being tilted for both of them to have a better angle. Niall didn’t let Zayn do all the work like before, so he started to slip his tongue on Zayn’s mouth too, tasting the coffee and the smoke he just had a while ago.

“D’you want me, to – uhm,” Niall couldn’t finish the sentence as he was still feeling out of breath, but hopefully, Zayn would understand what he was talking about when he looked on his lap (and hopefully, not think of the other way around that he’s looking on his crotch) – thankfully though, Zayn nodded (and didn’t unzip his pants, due to miscommunication) and then they were moving.

Zayn leaned back and relaxed while Niall pulled himself away from being pressed on the window and sat on Zayn’s lap instead. Zayn scooted a little bit forward so Niall could wrap his legs behind him, and the movement almost made Niall moan, feeling Zayn hard beneath him.

“Good?” Zayn asked.

“Yeah, good.” And then Niall was the first one who kissed him back, his arm sling behind Zayn’s shoulder, while Zayn’s hands were on his waist, suddenly gripping it when their tongues moved together. Niall unexpectedly moaned when Zayn bucked and slowly move his hips in a circular motion. He dropped his head on Zayn’s shoulder, his fingers digging on his shirt as Zayn continued to move, his mouth sucking in Niall’s neck.

“Clothes,” Zayn whispered as he tugged the end of Niall’s shirt and threw it on the front seat. Zayn removed his own too, leaving the two of them half-naked and Niall going from half-hard to completely hard seeing the indentions of Zayn’s abs on his torso. He felt a bit embarrassed on Zayn’s body compared to him but the way Zayn raked his eyes on his was something he was glad about.

He was about to put his head back to Zayn’s shoulders when Zayn pressed his palm on his chest. “No. I want to see your face.”

Niall shuddered from the way Zayn said it – as if he was begging, rather than demanding it. And the way Zayn looked at him, Niall couldn’t find the right word to explain it. It just made him feel so special and so wanted. And he never felt so wanted like this before.

He laced his fingers on Zayn’s hair as the lad started to kiss his jaw, down to his neck, to his shoulder blades and then to his nipples. He inhaled sharply when Zayn started to use his tongue and his fingers on the other one, leaving Niall out of breath and voicing out incoherent words. His toes curled on the seat, avoiding moving too much because he could really feel Zayn so hard now, and Zayn doing to his chest and everything was just kind of making him pass out. Fuck. He never thought this could feel so good.

“Zayn...It – It hurts,” Niall bumped his head on Zayn’s forehead, trying to catch his breath and trying not to sound so eager about his throbbing and painful dick that was still two layers away from being relieved. “I need to-“

Zayn kissed his lips. “I know, I know. Just relax...” Zayn kissed him again, and if Niall didn’t know Zayn was a gang leader who kills people, he’d think of Zayn as a veterinarian who treats everyone so gently as if everyone was an animal and are very fragile and needed to be really handled with care. Lame comparison, but it was the most precise description for Niall right now. How could someone still be so mild on times like this?

His thoughts were abruptly stopped when he felt Zayn’s hand unbuttoning his pants and pulling down the zipper. Niall’s jaw dropped when Zayn wrapped his hand around him, and pulled Niall’s out of his boxers. Niall watched Zayn as the lad spit on his hand, muttering an apology for having no class at all, and Niall just responded with a smile because Zayn might have not really thought of doing something like this in and he just triggered it all, so he was to blame for that.

Zayn kissed him on his Adam’s apple, up to his chin, then back to his lips. Zayn tugged his bottom lip when he slowly strokes his cock, making breathing a bit harder for Niall now. He was merely gasping, and scratching Zayn’s scalp, his back arching each time Zayn does this thing with his thumb on his tip, pressing and then his fingers sliding down with such rhythm he don’t think he could last much longer.

When Zayn slows down, Niall didn’t think twice of pushing his hips up and fucked Zayn’s hand. He needed the friction, the touch and everything with it. Niall’s eyes were shut tightly but he could hear the groans escaping from Zayn’s lips as he completely stopped and just let Niall moved on his fist.

“Zayn...” He finally opened his eyes, only to be met with an intense stare that was already pushing him off the edge. Zayn nodded, kissed his lips hard and then flicked his wrist with a faster pace until he was already coming hard on Zayn’s hand and on his chest, without much warning.

Then the realization sinks into him that he just came a bit too quickly. And then there was Louis’s voice. And then there was the look on Zayn’s face – he was looking at him, a bit, different.

“Ohmygod – ohmygod...” Niall quickly slipped away from Zayn’s lap and sat behind him, zipping and buttoning his pants back again. Niall covered his face with his hands, continuously muttering the three words. He jolted up when he felt a soft fabric wiping on his chest, Zayn looking at him worriedly.

“Is there something wrong?”

“I – I came...”

“Niall. It’s normal. I think that’s what supposed to happen, if not – we’ll be in here for days.” Zayn sniggered, now wiping his hands.

“No! I mean, I – I came off, easily, fast? I don’t know...”

“And so?”

“Louis said you didn’t like it when your partners do that...”

Zayn looked stunned as the fabric slipped from his fingers. Niall didn’t know what to think of the moment, the look on his face meant he wasn’t supposed to know that. Which made everything much worse. 

Then all of a sudden, Zayn laughed.

Niall’s eyes widened with confusion, watching Zayn tossed his head and leaned back. Did he say something funny? Was this supposed to be a joke? Because clearly, he’s not feeling much better about it.

Seeing the look on his face, Zayn stopped and swallowed in whatever remaining laughter he had on his throat. “Sorry, sorry. Oh my god – did Louis just – Niall, listen to me.” He scooted closer to Niall and moved his chin so he was facing Zayn. “Louis lives his life making fun of me and trying to make me feel bad in every way so don’t believe everything he says.” Zayn said, still biting his lips inside.

“But it’s true isn’t? He said Harry told him that.

“Shit – Haz? I knew it. Those two have been planning my downfall ever since.”

“Zayn...”

“Okay, I’m not denying it. I did say it to Harry before. But it’s different with you, okay? I really don’t want to talk about this but they’re just for sexual pleasures, and nothing else. And I’m demanding with that. But with you...” Zayn paused, cocking his head on the side and smiling so sweetly at him. “Even if you come without me touching you, I’d still be turned on.”

Niall shove him away. “This isn’t supposed to be a joke, Malik.”

“I wasn’t. You know you’re too good for me, and everything about you is just perfect.”He smirked.

“Stop it.” Niall felt his cheeks burned and really, these words are going to be his death.

“Don’t think too much, okay? I love everything about you.”

Did he just use the word – loved? Niall almost checked his pulse because seriously, why is he still breathing? He could hear it over and over again – _lovelovelove._

“Another question...” Niall almost said with a whisper, still thinking if he should say it or not, but Zayn already hummed in response.

“Are you, into you know – kinky stuffs? Like, spanking and things like that?”

Zayn smirked, and Niall wished he didn’t ask that. “Well, aren’t you supposed to figure that out?”

If he was excited or afraid about it, Niall doesn’t want to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What the fuck is this. Why is this so fluffy. Why am I still writing. Why did I even write this. OMG. Please don’t kill me. Another mature content on the next chapter *sigh* I don’t know if I should even ask for a feedback asfsdgfskjdlgsf


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for some typos on the previous chapter, I was a bit sleepy when I wrote that one and was unable to read it again. But I’ve fixed it now. As I’ve said, I have no proofreader and I’ve just employed myself with it, so all mistakes are mine (even on this one). Feedback would be much appreciated and so are little things such as reblogging and liking the story – if you did, like it, you know? :) x
> 
> I got a bit carried away so here’s a 6k+ words chapter. I’ll do the same thing with my other fics as well to be fair. Teehee.

Niall didn’t really have any plans of telling to Louis what happened between him and Zayn last time at the car, knowing what the older lad’s reaction would be. But after a week of constant begging and taunting that Zayn had already spanked him (even though he keeps on denying it’s not true, but as usual, Louis’s not buying it unless he says the truth), Niall couldn’t last long for having a mental patient with him in the house.

So he said it, thinking it would shut Louis up. (And what else would he say that would still embarrass him, right? Zayn already said it there’s nothing for him to worry about.)

Well, he was dead wrong.

Seeing Louis rolling on the floor, kicking his legs in the air, holding his stomach as if something would emerge out of it and surrounding the whole house with his annoying laugh, Niall felt like he just wanted to stab Louis’s eyes with a fork, just to stop him from what he was doing.

“Stop laughing! You should be saying sorry, you moron!”

“B-but – Ohgod – you really said that?” Louis kept on laughing. “ _Ohmygod_ , I came easily, _ohmygod_.” He mimicked Niall’s accent, adding more annoyance from what Niall’s already feeling as of the moment. He could really stab Louis now, bury him onto the backyard and no one will know he existed. He’ll probably just deal with Harry later. “I can’t – I haven’t laughed this hard, before.” And Louis continued on.

“Stop it! I thought it was a big deal that’s why I apologized!”

“Well, you should’ve said it a bit later, ‘cause you obviously killed the mood!”

“Thank you for pointing that out now!”

“I didn’t know – ohgod, my stomach hurts – I didn’t know you were really going for it.”

That was it. Niall ran from the kitchen all the way to the living room, jumping over the couch and slamming his body towards Louis who’s on the floor. The latter wasn’t able to do anything anymore as Niall quickly sat on his arse, grabbing both of his wrists and pulling them back as his back slowly arched.

“Ow! Ow! Stop it Niall! It hurts!” But Louis shaking under him didn’t convince him at all.

“Then stop laughing!”

“Okay, okay! I won’t do it anymore, let – let me go!”

“This is your entire fault, you get that? Your entire fault!” Niall pulled further. “If you hadn’t mentioned any of it, then I shouldn’t have said it to Zayn.”

“But it’s true! _Jesus Christ_ , Niall – It hurts! I’ll sue you! I’ll freaking sue you I swear to God!” Louis moved his hips, but Niall’s feet pressed firm on the floor, disabling Louis from doing anything.

“NO! I’ll be the one to do that! You always make fun of me.”

“There’s no law applied to that, you – (Niall pulls again) FINE! Yesyesyes! I won’t tease you or say anything about Zayn again.”

“Swear it!”

“Are we really – _SHIT!Seriously? Is Louis even real?_ Niall felt like he’s babysitting a five-year old kid born to pester his life for eternity.

“He won’t believe him as well.”

“Oh yeah?” Louis cocked an eyebrow, crossing his arms. (Hell yeah) “Well, the next time Zayn’s going to call you, I’ll tell him you’d be very delighted to be tied up on his headboard and it’d be such a turn on if he’s going to be rough on you!”

Niall wasn’t able to stop himself from looking so surprised – and maybe a bit scared. Knowing Louis, he was a hundred percent sure; he’s going to do that. And his tone never fails to sound so convincing and believable he might actually believe the world is ending if it comes from Louis’s mouth.

Just then, a ring from Niall’s room emerged on the living room. And Niall was sure it was his phone – so was Louis.

They exchanged glances first before both of them started pulling each others’ clothes as they race towards the room.

Niall’s fingers touched his phone’s screen, but it was Louis who was fast enough to grab it and put it on his ear.

“Hello?”

Niall wrestled it out with Louis as he tried to reach for the phone, both of them moving vigorously on the floor, slapping each others’ faces and kicking any part their feet could reach. But Louis was able to move away from Niall easily, ending on a chase around the house.

“Oh, Zayn! It’s nice to hear your voice!” There was a sudden twist on Niall’s stomach as he watched Louis’s lips curled into what he could only perceive as a devilish grin from the devil himself. “What? Of course – fuck off – wait, listen to me…”

“No, Zayn! Don’t listen to him!” Niall shouted on top of his voice, hoping Zayn would get it that Louis is just making fun of him and not a single truth would come out of his mouth.

“Niall told me something a while ago,” Louis ran around the table. Niall chased him, throwing fruits at him while Louis dodges tried his best to dodge everything. “He was thinking about – OW! You hit me! – Hold on a sec,” Louis brought down the phone and started throwing the bags of chips towards Niall. In a matter of minutes, the whole dining place was filled with mashed fruits and ripped of bags of chips.

“So, Niall told me, (Niall threw a whole bunch of bananas) that it’d be such a turn on –“

“Zayn! Don’t believe anything that person says!” Niall literally climbed above the table, desperately wanting to just get the phone away from Louis before he says something that would just make him wish the Earth would swallow him alive and never get to see Zayn again (or Zayn to see him). “Fuck you, Louis! You promised you won’t do anything anymore!”

With that, Louis sighed, putting down Niall’s phone on the table and placing both of Niall’s cheeks between Louis’s palms. He planted a deep kiss on his forehead. “Aww, aren’t you such an adorable thing to watch. You’re so grown up now!” said Louis, ruffling Niall’s hair as he did. Niall tried to shove him off, but Louis touching his hair is something he can’t bring himself to hate – it was probably his weakness with his best friend. It was the kind of gesture that enables Niall to relax, and so thus forget everything he did – even if it was to the extent of making fun of him, at all times.

“Here ya go, talk to Zayn and no phone sex yet, okay? You hear me Zayn?” Louis said, finally pushing the phone towards Niall and started picking up the trash on the floor. “Go on now – go somewhere where you could wank.” He laughed and Niall wished he could’ve covered his phone’s speakers.

Niall scrambled away from the dining area all the way to his room, locking the door just to be sure. He sat on the floor and leaned against the door. When everything seemed to be in place again (and Louis not around anymore), he brought the phone on his ear while his insides went into complete chaos.

“Hello?”

_Niall? Are you alright? Did Louis hurt you or anything? You guys just went silent and shit._

The sound of Zayn’s voice over the line almost made it hard for Niall to keep a good train of his thoughts. Even if Zayn wasn’t around, beside him, the way Zayn said each word with so much care and worry made him think the other way.

“Nah, it’s just the two of us being us. As you said, Louis is making for your downfall and I guess that includes me.” Then there was a sudden loud knock on the door, Louis’s muffled voice saying, ‘I am not like that Niall!’ So Niall hit the door back, “Stop eavesdropping and mind your own business, Lou!”

_Should I be worried about something?_

“What do you mean?”

_Is Louis making me jealous or-_

“What? Louis? No! No way. He won’t go that far, I swear. We hate each other to the very core. You have nothing to be worried about.” But then, Niall’s heart was beating so fast he wasn’t really sure if he was quite thrilled about the thought of Zayn being jealous. “So, what’s up?”

_Oh, yeah. I was thinking if you wanted to come over…_

“Of course!” Niall said, rather fast and at the back of his mind, he was already thinking of what clothes to wear. “What time should I go? And should I tell Louis not to wait for dinner with me?”

_Actually, I was thinking of you – staying over for the night? We could watch movies. Or go for a dip._

There was a sudden awkward silence, the air around Niall completely vanished and he felt like he was thousands of feet underwater without any way of breathing. His body began to feel so heavy, his legs quivered and his mind reeling with thoughts that made his stomach squirm.

Niall?

As if someone pulled him up to the surface, Niall gasped for air. “I – yes, sure, of course. I mean, I’ll ask Harry to come over here (and maybe discuss to him about who will bottom for the week). I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”

_Okay. I l-_

“Bye, Zayn!”Niall hurriedly pressed the ‘End Call’ button, his heart beating twice its normal rate he could probably pass out.

—-

“Ohoho, look who’s getting all riled – I mean, worked up.” Louis said, bringing the magazine he was reading down to his lap and following Niall as the latter stepped in front of the mirror. “You two going on a date?”

“Zayn invited me to his house. We’ll watch a movie. And – he gulps – I won’t be coming home tonight.” He almost ate the last words, hoping Louis wouldn’t bother much of knowing what he said.

“I figured Zayn would ask that.” Turns out, he heard it. “I mean, after what you two did back at his car, I’m pretty sure Zayn’s thinking of going all the way now.”

Niall turned around, sweating. “You mean-“

“Yes! It’s the time of your life, Niall! Say goodbye to your virginity!” Louis slapped his hand on the couch. “But, are you ready?”

The question struck Niall like someone hit him with a bat on his head. Was he really ready for this? Was he really ready to give it all the way to Zayn? The way his body was reacting, Niall was sure he was. But what if he failed? What if he wasn’t good enough? What if he does something that would make Zayn like him less? Or what if-

“Hey, hey! You’re overthinking, Niall.” Louis flicked his fingers. “Focus. Relax. And enjoy the ride.”

“You’re making it sound so easy.”

“Well, first time isn’t really that fun and all. But with the treatment you’re getting from Zayn, I’m pretty sure he won’t do anything that would hurt you. Although putting in his d-“

“LOUIS!”

They both laughed. Louis rubbed his hand on the space next to him and Niall followed immediately, falling inside Louis’s arms. “You think I won’t mess it up?”

“You already messed it up on the car – OW! That hurts Niall. You’re enjoying my pain too much.” Louis massaged his stomach that Niall elbowed. “As I was saying, I’m abso-fucking-lutely sure that Zayn won’t force you if you showed any signs of holding back. If he did, I will bring a razor to his house and shave his quiff and then cut his dick with some chainsaw.”

“You have a chainsaw?”

“I can borrow! Or maybe a bread knife would do. It’d hurt him more because it’s so dull and-“

“Louis, the details aren’t really necessary.”

“I know, I know.” He smirked. “You want to have some advice?”

Before Niall could say ‘No’, Louis was already whispering things that made Niall’s whole body twitch (and maybe his dick too).

—-

“Lookin’ good.” Was the first thing that slipped out of Zayn’s mouth as he saw Niall in front of his doorstep, wearing a fitted white polo shirt, cream-colored pants and paired with white supras. It was already sundown, and the way the crimson colored sky draped on Niall’s face made his whole look much better. Niall settled in with a smile, and Zayn couldn’t ask for more as he kissed his pale cheek and linked their hands together.

Zayn didn’t miss the way Niall bit his lip, and how his body reacted when he held his hand. Was he nervous about something? Was holding hands not a thing for Niall? Zayn thought he was just seeing things, but what’s happening afterwards was something he didn’t expect.

Niall was being uncomfortable towards him, or rather – avoiding his touches as much as he could.

When they were inside his room, Niall quickly slipped his hand and rushed towards the part of the room Zayn prepared for two of them to watch movies. There was this flat screen, a box of DVD’s, a bowl of popcorn and a pack of refill, and an icebox filled with bottles of beer. In front of it was a small couch he especially ordered just for the occasion because all the other couches were two big – and Zayn wanted the two of them to be close as possible.

But seeing the way Niall was acting, it looks like he was far from getting it.

Trying to hide his confused and maybe, irritated reaction; Zayn walked towards the couch and knelt beside Niall who was scanning for the set of movies. Again, Niall moved his knees and there was this distance between them.

“What’s your favourite movie?” Niall asked, not looking at Zayn.

“Uhm, Inception.” Zayn answered without much thought of it, seeing the movie’s title as he scanned the pile of cases. “But that’s really –“

“It’s alright. I want to watch it too.” said Niall, grabbing the case and putting out the CD and inserting it onto the player within seconds. He was obviously moving so fast all Zayn could do was watch him. He grabbed the bowl of popcorn, he took two bottles of beer, opened it and then the next thing Zayn knew, Niall was already on the couch, sitting comfortably with the bowl of popcorn beside him.

Zayn didn’t say anything and instead, he took the bottle of beer and sat beside the bowl of popcorn – and Zayn never wanted to pound his fist towards the mocking faces of plain buttered-flavor snack this much.

He took a quick swig from his drink, eyes on the screen, but carefully watching Niall’s movement on his peripheral vision. Why was he acting this way? Was this because of what happened last time at the car? No. He already cleared that up. And it has already been a week and for the days after that, Niall didn’t show any signs of uneasiness, only embarrassment (which Zayn found rather cute).

The movie started, and all Zayn could think was that this was not how he planned this ‘movie thing’ to happen (or what Harry had told him it would happen).

Niall would be resting on his shoulder, Zayn’s arm around him, his shirt being fiddled by Niall, his attention not at the movie at all. Even if Niall gave some attention to it, Zayn would distract him. He’d run his fingers through his hair, stare at him until Niall looks back at him, press his lips on the shell of his ear, playfully bite it or whisper something that would make Niall’s body hot all over – _that was the fucking plan._

Unfortunately, looking at their distance, Zayn felt like shooting someone in the face, repeatedly.

When the scene of Dominic showing Adriane how being inside someone’s dreams works, Zayn could see Niall was really into it. When the whole highway started folding, Niall’s eyes widened with so much amusement. Still, Zayn didn’t do anything.

That was when he noticed the number of bottles Niall was drinking. He took a glance on his foot, and he was already down with four, while he was still holding the one Niall gave him. There was a sudden knock on Zayn’s head, a faint thought – was he right about what he was thinking? Could it be –

“Zayn? W-what’s wrong?” Niall’s shoulder tensed, and Zayn was sure it did, as he already saw hundreds of people who was lying to him do the same thing.

“I don’t know. You tell me.” Zayn inched closer, his fingers sliding to the rim of the bowl.

Niall laughed, eyes falling back to his eyes then to the movie. “There’s nothing wrong. You’re looking at me as if…”

“As if?”

“As if I’m doing something wrong.”

“Well, from the looks of it, I guess you are.” Zayn took the bowl of mocking popcorns down, and pushed it a bit farther and finally closed the distance between his leg and Niall’s. The blonde looked down, almost questioning the act, but Zayn wasn’t going to buy any of this innocence anymore.

“I’m just watching, the - _oh…_ ” Niall suddenly moaned when Zayn brushed his palm on his crotch. He knew it. Niall was already hard, but since when? Since he stepped into the house? The room? When they sat on the couch? Shit. He should’ve done this half an hour ago.

“What was it again?” Zayn lowered his voice, continuing to palm Niall. Grinning, Zayn watched Niall’s reactions closely. The bottle slowly slipped from his fingers, his head moving n every direction and the flushing of his cheeks was something that riled up Zayn even more. “You naughty kid, you’ve been thinking about a lot of things before you got here, haven’t you?” Zayn gave him a little squeeze, and Niall’s jaw dropped, a sharp intake of air escaping from his lips.

“Louis. He said a lot of things…” Niall whispered, bucking his hips up when Zayn started to unbutton his trousers.

“Like what?”

“Like how it would feel like when you’re – _you’re inside me._ ” Niall breathed out, his mouth ghosting towards Zayn’s lips and it was just enough for Zayn to feel really hard now. “And – how you’re going to be all gentle, and then fast…”

“Shit.” Zayn couldn’t hold on much longer. He yanked Niall’s hair and brought their lips together, his tongue quickly sliding between those lips, lapping the inside of his mouth as he continued to palm Niall through his boxers. “I think I have to thank Louis for that, huh?”

“Mhmm…” Niall moaned as Zayn left his lips, marking the pale skin with violet marks on his neck, biting and soothing it with his tongue. “D’you still want to watch some movie or you want to skip the part and go to bed?”

“Are you really making me choose right now?”

“I am.” Zayn said, smiling. “So?”

“You’re such a tease, Zayn Malik.” He felt a yank on the end of his shirt, and this time, Niall was the one who pressed their lips together, his tongue working inside his mouth. Zayn initiated the movement to stand up, their lips linked together and trying their best not to step on anything. Zayn pulled away momentarily as he ran towards the TV and quickly pressed the ‘off’ button. Just to make sure their mood wouldn’t be destroyed by some gun shots or some sentimental soundtracks.

When he turned around, Niall was already half naked from his clothes, and pushing his pants down. They stared at each other as Zayn removed his shirt, and unbuckled his belt, his pants pooling on his feet, leaving both of them with only their boxers on.

“I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but – I’m not planning on letting you step out of the room without making you completely mine tonight.”

The lad blushed, turning his face away and biting down his bottom lip. Zayn climbed on top of him, hands on both of sides of his face, his body between his legs.

“I was thinking the same way too…” Niall said, grazing his thumb on Zayn’s waist. “I mean – I trust you, Zayn. I’ve never trusted anyone before, aside from Louis – and maybe Harry. But I wanted to do this… And I wanted you to be my first…”

“And I wanted to be your last too.” Zayn said, a fluttering feeling on his chest emerged. Thousands of butterflies flapped their wings on his stomach; an entirely different atmosphere surrounded the two of them. He never thought Niall would think of him this way – to say right into his face that he trusted him, that he’s ready to give everything to him - was this all a dream? A glitch? Something that’s not real? Is he just dreaming? ‘Cause if it is, then there’s no way Zayn would ever want to wake up. And if this is reality – then Zayn would think twice of sleeping.

Niall tightened his grip on his waist, nodding. “Yes, yes. You’ll be the last one too. Can I be your –“

“Should you even ask?” The both of them exchanged contented smiles, Zayn leaning in to kiss Niall on his lips. “Now, let me show you what you’ve been missing.”

—-

Their naked bodies pressed together, Zayn’s hand wrapped on Niall’s erection, working him with slow and easy strokes. He made a decision that he won’t do anything unless Niall asks or begs him to. That way, he knows when he’s really ready and he really wanted to do it.

“Come on, Zayn. Oh, oh. Please…”

“Please, what?” Zayn increased his pace, watching Niall’s fingers pull down the sheets behind him. “What do you want?”

“Want you – I want you, Zayn. Want to feel you, inside me.” Niall opened his eyes, perfect blue eyes dilating and gleaming with anticipation, lust and wanting. Zayn’s cock twitched, his stomach tightened and Zayn’s control was slowly diminishing. He reached up for the bottle of lube on the bedside drawer, pouring its content on his fingers and rubbing his fingers to warm the lube.

Zayn nudged Niall’s legs apart, watching the lad’s reaction as he started circling his fingers on his rim. Niall’s body started to react instantly; his chest heaved heavily, jaw dropped and his hands scrambling for something to touch. Zayn continued to move his fingers until Niall begged him.

Zayn pushed a finger in, “Oh fuck, Oh-oh…” Niall moaned breathlessly.

“Good?”

“Shit, yeah. One more, please. Oh, fuck.” Niall’s hair was in complete mess as he moved his head in every direction, Zayn wondering if everything Niall was doing was slowly becoming a kink for him. Everything he does just rile him up, is that even possible?

Zayn pulled his finger, but left its tip inside as he slipped the second finger in.

“Ah, ah.” Niall’s back arched as Zayn moved his fingers inside, curling and pushing deeper. “Zayn, one come on…”

Zayn grinned, and pushed another finger in. This time, Niall yelped and Zayn knew instantly he was hurt so he stopped. But before he could ask if he was alright, Niall started to push his hips down, begging for Zayn to move. “Go on, Zayn. It hurts but fuck, oh God – it’s so good.”

The voice was convincing enough for Zayn to continue, meeting Niall’s thrusts as Zayn pushed his fingers in. “Yeah. Shit, you look so damn good, Niall.” Zayn said, craning his neck and watched Niall as he began to scissor his fingers, stretching Niall even more. “Wanted you on the first time we met…” He leaned in closer, kissing Niall’s chin with his heavy breathing. “Already made you mine when I heard your voice.”

“Shit, Zayn…I’m close…” One hand slipped around his shoulders and gripped him tightly. Zayn moved faster, his fingers sliding in and out with ease. Niall cried out as he tightened around his fingers, making Zayn bite down the skin his lips was pressed into.

“Zayn…I need more. Please?” Niall was panting when Zayn pulled out. His eyes trailing down on Niall’s chest, spilled with his own release, his legs obscenely spread and his rim all puckered and wet. He quickly grabbed a packet of condom, but Niall’s hand stopped him midway.

“Can you-” He didn’t need to complete his sentence, as Zayn nodded and letting the wrapper slip from his fingers. He lifted the blonde’s legs, and without leaving his eyes, Zayn slowly pushes in.

“AH! AH!” Niall almost screamed, both of his arms around Zayn’s shoulder now, and Zayn could feel his fingernails dig deeply onto his skin. His hands held Niall’s hips steadily as he pressed soothing kisses on his cheeks.

“This is the worst part, Niall. I swear-“

“No…Go on. Come on…” He felt Niall’s legs wrapped around his waist and pushed him as well. Zayn gripped his hips tightly as he pressed further, an exchange of moans occurred as Zayn felt the hot tightness around his cock, Niall tightening his insides without control.

“Shit, so fucking good. So tight for me, Niall.” Zayn bit his lips inside, wanting to move so fucking slow and not to hurt Niall from the way he dealt with sex back then. This was different, Niall has always been different. And if he needed to be as slow as a first timer to make it special then so be it.

“Move, Zayn, please. I feel like coming already…”

So Zayn did. He moved slowly, his hips grinding on Niall’s cheeks, pushing and pulling as slowly and as gentle as he could. He guided Niall on their rhythm, how he should move if he wanted to meet his thrusts. And soon enough, Niall relaxes, Zayn’s thrusts hitting Niall’s prostate and started to move faster, the familiar lump on his stomach coming close.

“Look at me,” Zayn breathed, seeing Niall’s eyes completely shut. “I want you to remember this,” Zayn groaned, thrusting harder. Niall complied, his eyes followed where his eyes moved and Zayn never felt so glad to see his face being reflected on Niall’s eyes. He wanted to be the only person he sees. And Be the only person Niall wanted.

“Yes, yes. Oh God. So good, fuck yes – Zaynzaynzayn…” Niall huddled him closer, the slapping of their skins, the slick sound of their sweats and the mixture of their moans surrounded the room. “Shit, so fucking close, Zayn…”

“You gonna come? Come. For. Me. Niall.” Zayn accented each word with a thrust.

The bundle of nerves clenched around Zayn’s cock as Niall let out a cry, coming all over their chests. The feeling brought Zayn over the edge, “Shitshitshit – OhFUCK!”Zayn growled, emptying himself inside of Zayn and lazily thrusting before he slowly pulled out.

He kissed Niall’s lips lightly, and both of them exchanging sheepish yet satisfied smiles. Zayn took the towel he prepared inside the drawer and wiped their chests clean.

“Do you want to take a bath?” asked Zayn, looking at Niall who was outright smiling at him.

“Nah, don’t feel like it.” When he finished wiping Niall’s chest, the lad immediately moved up and rested his head on one of the pillows. “Louis told me it’s going to hurt in the morning.”

“Well, it is going to hurt.” Zayn said, throwing the towel on the floor. Niall opened his mouth, but didn’t continue to say anything. “What?”

“What?”

“Don’t throw the question back at me. You’re going to say something, aren’t you?”

Niall bit his lips and then turned to Zayn, who was now offering his outstretched arm for Niall to scoot in and fit his body. This was another tip he got from Harry: nuzzle after the sex. Well, not that he needed to say that, ‘cause there’s no way he’s not going to sleep with Niall without his body around him.

Niall moved with ease, as if his body was supposed to be there right from the very start.

“So, what is it?”

“Louis said…”

Zayn facepalmed himself. “Not Louis again…” He really regrets telling Harry the stories about his sex life now that he know that cousin of his has a diary named ‘Louis’.

“It’s about the kinky things you did before.” Niall whispered on the skin of his arm.

“I told you-“

“I wanted you to do it.” He said firmly. And Zayn’s heart just leaped out of his chest. Did Niall just-? No. Niall was different. He shouldn’t be doing any of those things with him. But damn – thinking about it, imagining Niall’s pale skin flushes from the way he hits him, his cries, begging for more and how he will react – _SHIT. Cut it out, Malik._

“Zayn?”

“I don’t think you – I mean, we should do it.”

“Why?”

“It’s a one-sided pleasure kind of kink. I don’t know. I don’t even want to use that word!” Zayn covered his mouth from laughing. “It’s not beneficial for both parties, you know? More like mine, so-“

“It’s fine.”

“What? What do you mean ‘it’s fine’? Niall-“

“Zayn. You’ve been patient and gentle with me and everything. I think it’s just fair for me to do something for you, right?” Niall said it too innocently Zayn was starting to wonder if this was one of Louis’s plans to destroy him completely.

“You already did a lot of things for me. You have no idea what it is, but spanking you or tying you up isn’t something I needed and asking for you.”

“You didn’t ask. I’m offering myself.”

Zayn shook his head. Why are they having this conversation, now? “Be careful with your words, Niall. You might want to take it back when we’re doing it.”

“So you’re saying we’ll do it?”

“I’m not – okay, fine. I’m not going to lie. I wanted to, okay? But not now, not tomorrow. I just want to take everything slow, alright?”

“Okay. As long as you’re not holding back.”

So now he’s the one holding back? Where is the Niall who’s all afraid and curious? “Yes. I promise I’m not holding back.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Zayn kissed Niall again, before the lad nuzzled on his chest, and Zayn lacing his fingers on the mess of blonde hair. It didn’t take long before Niall was snoring and blowing gentle streams of wind against his skin and Zayn couldn’t think of anything better than this.

—-

Zayn woke up from the sound of Niall’s voice, singing beside him. He didn’t move as he didn’t want him to stop.

_Well open up your mind and see like me_  
Open up your plans and damn you’re free  
Look into your heart and you will find love love love love 

_Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing_  
We’re just one big family  
And it’s our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved 

_So I won’t hesitate no more, no more_  
It cannot wait, I’m sure  
There’s no need to complicate, our time is short  
This is our fate, I’m yours 

When Zayn opened his eyes, he felt like falling right where he was. Niall was the most beautiful and perfect thing he ever laid eyes on and maybe the only one he will be. His eyes scanned his whole position: Niall’s back against the headboard, his exposed chest glowing with a mixture of the colors of the morning, his body the perfect canvas. His eyes shifting from a deep blue to a shade of green as the light hits them and the way his voice surrounded the room was better than any breakfast.

If angels do exist, Niall didn’t have to have wings for Zayn to believe, because he was sure, Niall was one of them. And he’s right there, beside him, singing as if the world was never a place for hatred or war and how did Zayn got himself someone like him?

Is this some kind of magic? Is this how angels work now? They make you fall in love head over heels and heals you, and makes you forget about how rotten you are inside and out. And still, they love you, they trust you and give everything to you.

Who was Zayn Malik before he met Niall Horan? He didn’t want to remember. All he knew was that he was going to protect him, no matter what. He won’t let anyone hurt him, nor touch him. Zayn saw his future with Niall – the one with no blood and gunshots. But instead, the one where the mornings where the best part of the day, and sleeping was something he couldn’t bring himself to do, afraid he might miss anything by the blink of an eye.

_But I won’t hesitate no more, no more_  
It cannot wait,  
I’m yours 

_Open up your mind and see like me_  
Open up your plans and damn your free  
Look into your heart and you’ll find the sky is yours 

_So please don’t, please don’t, please don’t_  
There’s no need to complicate cause our time is short  
This o’ this o’ this is our fate  
I’m yours 

Niall seemed to know he was awake as he quickly swooped his face down and kissed Zayn on his cheek. Is Niall trying to kill him? His heart just stopped, his whole world slowed down…

He sat up and brought the kiss back on Niall’s lips. The lad still blushed, if it was a trick for making him like him even more, Zayn didn’t mind. He liked the way Niall’s all embarrassed at him and then suddenly getting all needy when the atmosphere got a bit intense and hot.

Zayn was just about to deepen the kiss, and work for a morning-sex, when Niall’s ringing tone suddenly stopped the two of them from moving.

Niall left the bed, and searched for his phone, which was on his pants – and looked back at Zayn with a questioning expression written all over his face.

“Who’s that?”

“Louis.”

Suddenly, Zayn’s chest tightened. It wasn’t normal since he was always indifferent when it comes to Louis. But something with the way Niall said his name made Zayn felt like something was wrong.

“Maybe he’s going to ask for details. He surely woke up early just to call me.” Niall attempted to end the call, but Zayn stopped him.

“Just, just answer it.”

Niall nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. Zayn watched him closely and waited for their usual banter, but all Niall did was staring blankly into the floor. The phone slipped from his hand and so was a tear escaping from his eyes. One by one, until he was sobbing and Zayn was hugging him, still confused.

“W-what’s wrong? Who’s that? What did Louis said?”

Niall shook his head. “It – it wasn’t Louis… It was Harry. He said,” He sniffed and coughed, “Louis was shot.”

And just like that, the whole morning withered; gray clouds on the sky, a humid and eerie feeling – _a storm was clearly on its way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts on this chapter?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I finally got to Chapter 10 (I’m so happy) I’m halfway through this whole thing, finally. Anyways, this chapter had been quite difficult to write, I think it’s because of the whole gang thing that I have to incorporate especially with Zayn’s past. I hope you guys would like this! :) x

Zayn stood motionless at the door, his feet unable to take another step and his knuckles turning white as he held the door frame while he stared at Louis lying unconscious on his bed. He had no idea what he was feeling, seeing him in that situation. He had seen people lie in there before – loved ones, friends and even family members – but Zayn didn’t seem to feel anything about it.

He grew up seeing people die in front of him, get shot, be inflicted with pain – he always told himself this was all part of his job. People get hurt and if you’re unlucky enough, you wouldn’t make it to the hospital or anywhere, alive.

For him, it was normal to see, it was a normal thing to live in.

He was a cold, heartless and an indifferent bastard. He didn’t care what happened to people around him as long as he gets what he wants.

But that was before he met Niall and felt all those things he never knew he could feel on his entire life. He was becoming more vulnerable, more aware of his surroundings and of the people around him. When he saw Louis, he realized something he never knew was still there all along. It was when he saw Niall on that very same situation – that there’s a possibility it could’ve been him. Niall could’ve been shot when he was on his way to his house or when he’s sound asleep or even when he’s with him.

For such a long time, living without fear of dying, of seeing people around him die – Zayn realized that his greatness weakness, his greatest fear was still – and will always be, _someone getting hurt because of him_.

“Zayn?” He flinched, seeing Harry’s face suddenly in front of him. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I should be the one asking you that – God, you look like shit.” Zayn replied. It wasn’t his best way of saying ‘How ‘bout you, you don’t look that good’, but Zayn felt like he needed to get away from the question instantly or else it’d turn out like Zayn was the one who got his boyfriend shot.

Harry smiled, turning away for a second and stared at Louis as if he’d be gone any minute. He then led the way outside and both of them headed for the seats on the hallway. They were silent for a while, watching the view from outside their window as the city of Bradford drowned into its unusual morning downpour.

Now that Harry was beside him, Zayn saw how different he looked like from all those years he knew him. He never saw Harry this tired, this worried and this shit faced. It was like he went to a battle on his own – his curls was all over the place, his eyes puffy, his cheeks filled with the trails of his tears and his clothes doesn’t just seem right. All of this happened for the last 4 hours.

“It happened so fast.” Harry started, dropping his head slowly and stared into his hands. “We were just walking on our way towards the store to buy something for our breakfast. He had his arm my waist, and mine on his shoulders - and I was whispering something to him...” Harry smiled a bit, maybe remembering the words he said that time. But slowly, Zayn saw how Harry’s expression changed, his jaw clenched, his lips quivered and his eyes suddenly become filled with tears.

It was a rare thing to see from Harry. Zayn was used to seeing him jumping around, irritating him with his voice and with his lack of intelligence but seeing him like this hurt brought an unexplainable pain on his chest.

“All of a sudden, Lou screamed my name. He twisted me around. And then I heard a gunshot. I watched Louis slipped from my grip, his shirt suddenly filled with blood and I thought – shit – I thought I’d lose him there, Zayn. I thought, I’d never see him again. I know it was aimed at me. It was supposed to be me. _Fuck_ – I should be the one covered on my own blood, I was supposed to be the one lying on the pavement and wishing I wasn’t dead yet. Instead, he was there, smiling like an idiot and just saying my name and I didn’t know what to do – _I didn’t know what to do...”_  

Zayn brought his hand on Harry’s back. “We’ll do something about it. We wouldn’t let whoever did this get away from doing this to Louis or to you. We’ll wipe away their faces in this city.”

Harry nodded. “Heck we will. _I will kill that bastard_. I will make him beg, and he’d wish he was never brought to this world, I will – _Niall_? What’s wrong?” Both lads turned to Niall who was standing in the middle of the hallway; his expression was something Zayn couldn’t figure out what it really meant.

“Louis is awake.” He said and instantly, Harry jumped out of his seat and ran towards the room, leaving the two of them looking at each other.

“Why don’t you look so happy?” Zayn asked, opening his arm and waiting for Niall to sit beside him. Instead, the lad leaned against the wall. “Is there something wrong?”

“I overheard your conversation...”

“It’s alright.” Zayn stood up, inching closer to Niall.

Niall shook his head. “Please don’t do it.” He said, holding the end of Zayn’s jacket. “Please.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“It’s dangerous, Zayn. They could kill the both of you!”

Zayn smiled, knowing it was just the usual over-worrying of Niall. He ran his thumb on his cheek, kissing his lips lightly. “They can’t, alright? Don’t worry about us. We’re going to make those bastards pay from doing it to Louis.”

“How could you be so sure nothing’s going to happen to the both of you? Louis was shot when both of them were defenceless! This could happen to you as well!” Niall placed his balled fists on Zayn’s chest, his eyes watering with tears. Seeing the look on his face, Zayn realized he was more worried to him than Louis. Could he be imagining the same thing when they both saw Louis? That either one of them could be in that state? No. Zayn wouldn’t let that happen. Niall getting hurt because of him would be something he’ll never see as long as he’s breathing.

Zayn grabbed his shoulders and pressed his forehead on Niall’s. “Look, Niall. I’m not going to get hurt, neither do you-“

“ _I’m not_. I’m worried about you.” He cut him off, pressing his lips on Zayn’s, not really caring for a thing or two to those people who were outright staring at them. “I just – I can’t help it. When I saw Louis, I cried because he was hurt. But then I cried even more because I thought of you and-“

Zayn hushed him as he opened and wrapped his arms around Niall. He felt the tears on his shoulders as Niall hugged him tightly. “I’m more than worried about your life, than mine. I would die if I see you in there – you’re the only thing that matters to me now. And I’d do everything to protect you.” Zayn said, his hand pushing Niall closer as he kissed his temple. “Don’t worry about me. Stick to Louis at all times, while Harry and I fix this.”

Niall sighed heavily. “Promise me you’re not going to get yourself hurt.”

“I’ll try.” It was better than making a promise he wasn’t really sure if he could fulfil.

\---

“You know, I’m the one who got shot in here and looks like you’re still more worried about Zayn.” Louis said as he took a bite from his apple, kicking Niall at the end of his bed. “Hey! Don’t ignore me. I’m trying to be dramatic over here.”

Niall turned to him, trying his best to give him his usual smile. “Aren’t you worried about Harry?”

“Are we seriously going through this whole conversation again? I’m worried about him, okay? But I don’t let it show in front of my best friend who just got shot.” Louis aimed a chunk of apple towards Niall, but the blonde quickly dodged it.

“You got shot, okay. No need to put it in every sentence. What do you want me to do? Award you from your heroic act of saving your boyfriend?”

The brunette grinned, leaning back against the pillow. “Well, I guess I should be. Anyway, why are you so worried about him anyway? Zayn’s gang is the strongest among all the others in this city. They’ll come back as clean as they were before, so sit back and relax.”

“I can’t. I just – I don’t know. I can’t think straight, Louis.”

“Then try and think straight.”

“Gee, thanks Einstein.” Niall said, rolling his eyes. Sometimes he wished he could poke on Louis’s collarbone to see him in pain again. “You’re not helping at all.”

“You don’t need help, alright? You just have to stop worrying about him. If he said he’d be back in one piece, he’ll be back in one piece.” Louis rolled his eyes as he picked another fruit from the basket, this time, some freshly cut honey dews.

How come he could eat like that knowing that his boyfriend could be exchanging gunshots as of this moment? “Alright, let me ask you question.”

“Shoot.”

“If you were to decide, would you let Harry go all the way there and revenge for what happened to you?”

With that, Louis’s expression changed. All the smile and playfulness on his face disappeared and it was all replaced by a heavy looking face, his eyes dropping down and the smile completely gone. That moment, Niall saw how worried Louis was for Harry.

Louis crumpled the sheet on his hands. “Of course I don’t need some stupid revenge. This isn’t some kind of action-romantic movie that if your loved one got hurt you’ll follow the one who did it across the whole world and stab him with an ice pick while saying, ‘This is for Louis’, then throwing him down the cliff. I don’t need it.”

“You imagined it, didn’t you?” Niall said, unable to hold his laughter.

Louis chuckled, nodding. “Hell yeah. Harry would be so good leading some action movie and delivering those lines would be so fucking orgasmic.”

“Okay, before we go to another place, just – just answer my question, yeah?” Niall scratched his head, he still couldn’t believe Louis could lead any conversation to sex.

Louis sat up, scooting closer to Niall, he looked outside the window, half-smiling but his eyes saying otherwise. “If only I had the choice, I’d ask him to stay. I’ll tell him he doesn’t need to waste his energy on some kind of stupid killer who couldn’t aim his gun properly on his target. He just had to stay...”

“But why didn’t you?”

“Because if I was on the same position as he is, I’d do the same thing. Heck, I’d ask the whole world to search for that person and bring him alive to me as I skin him alive and scatter his parts everywhere. I’ll go Jigsaw on him. I understood what Harry felt, and I know he wouldn’t feel better if he couldn’t do something about it. Yeah, I know it’s dangerous, it could kill him. But I can’t stop him either.”

“So, that’s what is, huh.”

“Well, it’s a lot more different when it comes to Zayn.”

Niall quickly faced Louis, “What do you mean he’s different?”

“Of course he wasn’t doing this because of me, or even if you were my best friend. He was doing this because of you and what happened to his past.”

“What do you mean his past?” Niall had a feeling this wasn’t a good past. He and Zayn never discussed anything about his past life except for the thing at the pool. And now that he realized it, he never really asked about it.

“Oh, so he didn’t tell you.”

“Didn’t tell me what, Louis? What does it have to do with what’s happening now?”

“Everything that’s been happening has to do with it.” Louis said firmly.

“You’re going to tell me, right?”

“If it’s going to make you feel better and stop worrying about Zayn, fine.”

\---

Niall sat on the couch at the corner of the room right after Louis went back to sleep. He realized he never really knew Zayn that much, what he needs, what he wants, what he lack of and what he always wanted.

“Zayn was closest to his grandfather. They used to spend more time together than his parents. I think it was because his grandfather saw the resemblance he had with Zayn. His parents were against him trying to continue what his grandfather did, but at the age of 7, Zayn was already determined he’d do it. Two years after that, Zayn saw right in front of him how his grandfather was murdered right into their backyard. He was in the window, drawing, and watching his grandfather play golf when a mysterious guy walked casually to the yard and point a gun on his head.”

“At the age of 15, Zayn was trained to hold and shoot a gun, to handle businesses, to fight – everything a gang leader should know of. On his 16th birthday, he invited his family for dinner – but his dad, mum, and his two younger sisters never made it to the gates. They were hijacked on their car and murdered right there. Zayn only saw their bodies in the hospital.”

“More people died and got hurt when rivals discovered their strong connection with Zayn. He received news one time, that two of his childhood friends that he was still in contact before, was murdered inside their houses.”

“You’d say Zayn should be in the mental institute by now, being cured of the trauma he got. But he didn’t. The thing is he didn’t show any single tear or sadness after the death of his grandfather. It was like, in just a blink of an eye, he learned to accept that people around him die, and it was a normal thing. And I guess it was the very reason why he was recognized as someone who’s cold, relentless, merciless leader of Bradford – and other cities know his name as well.”

Seeing Zayn today, Niall wouldn’t even think that Zayn went through that much. Sure he was a gang leader, anyone could be like that as long as they work hard for it, right? But he never knew Zayn had to go through all those things alone. He watched the people around him die and not just anyone – they were his loved ones, his family members, his friends and he kept all in. He tried to act strong so that people who follow him would see him as a sturdy tree, unshaken and there’s no way he was going to fall.

“But then you came along. You made him feel all those things he never felt before and he liked it, I guess. He liked the feeling of being ‘human’ again, of having a heart, of being worried about someone, of being protective about someone.”

“I have to say, I honestly hesitated about the whole thing between the two of you, knowing Zayn had problems committing to someone and everything for him wasn’t very much permanent. But when I heard about what he did to you back there, how he saved you and how he didn’t dare lay a single finger on you, I knew that time – something inside him changed. Something none of us will never know unless he says it himself.”

“Knowing Zayn, he was one hell of a selfish bastard. If this thing happened to me, and you didn’t exist in his life, I don’t think he’d come in here. But when he saw me – just like what you saw, Zayn knew it could happen to you as well, and there was no way he’s going to let it happen. Zayn was willing to give his life for you, Niall – to save you. ‘Cause I don’t think Zayn would be able to live another day when another person he loved would be gone because of him. So just let him, protect you, yeah?”  

When Louis finished telling him everything, it was like seeing Zayn on a completely new perspective. All of the things he was doing, it was never for the good of himself – it was for him. Zayn had given him everything, and was willing to give more.

And all of these made him realize that right from the very start, it wasn’t him who needed saving.

 _It was Zayn all along_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a longer one with some smutty bits, but I was too sleepy I had to cut it. Hahaha. Anyway, seeing the progress of the story, I think we’re almost nearing to the end, though I’m not sure how many chapters are left. Sometimes, it really depends on how I wanted to prolong your agonies or by my mood. Hahaha. But I enjoy writing this story so much, so who knows what other shits I might add up here. :) 
> 
> Thoughts, please? xx


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ohshit. This fic has risen from the depths of the Underworld. I’m so sorry if it took longer than I expected it to be, but I have other things going on too – still, I want to thank all of you for your patience. Before I get teary-eyed in here, I would want to dedicate this certain chapter (or maybe this whole fic) to Kamila who translates this into Russian and also the rest of Russians who read my fic on and gave amazing feedback and even let WW reach 150+ notes! Fuck. I’m shitting myself. It’s complete mindfuck. But I’m really grateful. So yeah – I hope you’d stick to me ‘til the very end. xx
> 
> Warning: Look who got touchy and needy! Smut/Mature content indeed. *wink wink*

Zayn parked his red convertible under the dim light of the lamppost. It was dark, humid and misty. Each step he took as he walked through the dark alley echoed, as if anyone who would dare make a sound was actually looking for trouble. Not that Zayn mind though, he could feel the weight of his gun on his belt and if anyone dared touch him, that person would be sorry he didn’t say goodbye to his family or his dog or whosoever he left behind.

Thankfully though, Zayn didn’t have to go through much effort on pulling out his gun as he reached his destination safely. He stepped into the rusty, three-stepped steel ladder and knocked on the door, which looked and sounded rusty as well. He heard a distinct sound of screeching chairs skidding on the floor and after five seconds, the door opened, revealing a tall, broad-shoulder, dark-skinned lad that looked a bit older to him – but didn’t show any sign of it the moment their eyes met; the man bowed his head and opened the door widely.

Those who were still sitting and recognized Zayn from the flourescent blue light of the dark room stood up immediately, one of them even failing to do so. He recognized one of them that didn’t bother standing up, too busy looking at what seems to be a picture.

“What is it?” Zayn pulled an empty chair beside Harry, who was frowning in a way his mouth and nose almost met. When he pulled his chair closer to the table, the men around him followed, taking their distinctive seats and huddled on one side. He made a mental note that he’ll ask them what the fuck is wrong with sitting beside him later as he was preoccupied by Harry’s unending glare to that certain picture.

“It’s not ‘what is it’, it’s ‘who is it’,” muttered Harry, thrusting the picture to his chest.

When Zayn took hold of the picture and turned it the other way around, Zayn recognized the person immediately. It was Nathan, talking to someone whom Zayn couldn’t recognize, as his back was against the picture. They were sitting casually inside a diner, a place Zayn was familiar of, but didn’t bother recalling where it was.

“Alright, it’s Nathan. So he’s in our town, huh? One of you dared to take his picture,” Zayn turned to the hustled men in front of him, obviously trying not to hold his gaze. “But none of you tried to pull him back to my place? How many of you were there?”

Harry answered it for them. “There were three of them.”

“How many men do you need, huh? Twenty? Don’t you think that’s too fucking obvious?” Zayn bellowed, some of them shuddering on their seats. “This bloke is just talking to someone and instead of taking him to me, you suddenly became teenage girls who’d take a fucking fan picture. I don’t need a fucking proof the he exists, that he’s in my goddamn town, I know that he is. Don’t make me look stupid.” He pushed the picture on the table, wiping the trickle of sweat that formed on his forehead. He knew he was getting a bit moody nowadays or better description, hot-tempered, as their search for Nathan wasn’t getting any progress. And here he was, called in the middle of the night expecting to see Nathan bound on a chair, screaming and begging for his life but only to see his smugly face on a picture.

“Actually, it’s not Nathan that we’re talking about here, Zayn.” Harry started, pulling the picture back towards his direction. “It’s the person he’s talking to.”

Harry’s finger pointed the unrecognizable man, and Zayn felt this sudden familiar feeling that he might know who this person was. He remembered the broad shoulders, the clean-cut hair…

“Liam.” They almost said at once and Zayn shot up from his seat, fingers gripping on the metal back of his chair, he felt like throwing it to someone. “He’s the one?”

“Behind all of what’s been happening, yes.” Harry said as calmly as possible but Zayn could hear the gritting of his teeth. “He’s the one who’s keeping Nathan safe back on Wolverhampton.”

“He’s keeping him safe?!” Zayn shouted. “That – that Payne – we’ve been accommodating him safely on his in and out of our city and all he’s doing was helping Nathan safe behind our backs?” If Zayn was supposed to be happy at this investigation – that at least they reached something – he wasn’t in the slightest mood to celebrate.

“Turns out he’s not just keeping the bloke safe. He’s also with Nathan’s plan on taking a revenge on you. Payne wants your position.” This time, Zayn didn’t just want to throw a chair to someone, he wanted to fucking kill someone. He wanted to shoot somebody to let his anger out of his system. He wondered why Harry was still taking this calmly after what happened to Louis, but Zayn didn’t ask. “All those parties he held were to gain our trust – especially yours. Now I’m glad that you didn’t like Payne’s parties ever since, might’ve fallen into his trap or something,” said Harry, taking out more papers from the envelope at the far side of the table. “There are more pictures of him with Nathan. I don’t know what the hell gotten into their heads that they’re talking out in public…”

“They’re challenging us. They’re fucking confident. They want us to find them.” Zayn didn’t have to ponder on it for a week or two, he knew immediately that Liam and Nathan knows how to get into his nerves. They know that his short-tempered and once you challenge Zayn Malik, you’re going to have a fucking blood bath. “When they attacked you – or, Louis – they already made a point that they’re not going undercover.”

Harry’s eyes flickered from the mentioning of Louis, but he just settled with fisting his palms. Zayn wondered how Liam or Nathan will end up to once Harry got a hold of them – they’ll be shred into pieces or probably kept alive for years just for the sake of torturing.

“So what do you suggest? Do the same thing? Go public and send mayhem over their city?” Harry’s suggestion seemed to have stirred their company on their seats, some of them were sniggering, some of them nudging each other, mumbling how they’d want to start shooting houses and start fights. It was their gang’s nature anyway.

But Zayn thought about it. He sank back on to his chair, ignoring the ecstatic atmosphere that might overwhelm his decisions. He needed to think about this thoroughly – if they’re going to do it, then they’re obviously stating an all-out gang war between two cities and Zayn had to avoid that. They were already lacking people behind, their territories were getting mobbed. He couldn’t risk another loss.

“I want all of you to find Liam’s base – where he sleeps, where he keeps his families safe, where he keeps Nathan – I want to know where the fuck he lives. I don’t want a second base, or another territory, I want to know the place where he thinks he’s safe.” Zayn ordered, his voice crisp and clear inside the room. Some of them frowned, knowing that hiding, being on the lookout is definitely not something exciting to do, but Zayn ignored them. If Liam wanted him to be hostile and go lunatic, he’d do the opposite.

For a second, Harry looked at him with an utter shock on his face, but when he cocked an eyebrow, mouthing a ‘what’, he shrugged and smiled. “Love really does change you.” He muttered, and Zayn wondered if Harry was just talking to himself or directing the statement towards him.

Zayn, in all honesty, didn’t deny it.

\---

It was already bright and sunny when Zayn left the place.

He was so tired and wasted and he just want to sleep, just want to take the plotting of ‘Liam’s death together with the dog he took in’ out of his head for a moment. He never felt this physically and mentally exhausted before. He never knew he got a bunch of thick-minded lot that only knows how to hold gun but doesn’t know how to use map. And much to his delight, Harry’s not helping either.

Right after Zayn announced the summary of their plan, he excused himself that he got to go back to his house and then see if Louis’s doing fine. Zayn didn’t mind it, but of course, he was sort of annoyed and jealous at the same time. How come Harry could excuse himself and visit Louis and probably snuggle with him ‘til the morning while he explains to his stupid followers how to know if you’re map’s not upside down? He’s got someone too. He wanted to snuggle with Niall too, probably fall asleep with his songs and the warm feeling of his skin against his cradling him.

Zayn brushed the idea away, knowing that Niall might be disturbed from such a goodnight sleep – but how much Zayn’s willing to pay just to watch him snore (not in a creepy way) ‘cause he was sure that it’ll help him relax more than anything else in the world.

When he arrived to his mansion, everyone was busy keeping the house tidy, maids moving from one spot to another, bodyguards roaming around the place and bowing at him whenever they catch glances. As he took the flight upstairs, he kept reminding himself that when he wakes up later this afternoon, he’d drive to Niall’s, maybe cook dinner for him and stay there for the night. He felt like a dead phone who needed charging. He’s going to be really drained if he saw his followers again and ask him where’s North and where’s East.

Before he reached the door knob, he noticed that it was already open and saw a figure moving inside. Zayn gulped and peeked in, only to see the shadow of the person inside his room. He always made a clear rule to his maids that they should never clean his room nor go inside it unless he asked them to. Is there actually a traitor under his own roof? He pushed the door further, his hand ready to pull out his gun and blow the head of this person…

“Zayn!” Zayn swore he almost pulled the trigger to his shock, but then all the deathly thoughts were completely wiped away when he saw the pale-skinned, bleached-blonde hair with blue eyes flashing his pearly whites on him it was almost blinding. Niall was smiling widely at him, his other hand occupied with Zayn could make up as a sandwich.

“Niall? What – what are you doing here?” asked Zayn, turning his body around so that Niall wouldn’t see him putting his gun back to his drawer. When he turned back around, Niall was already behind him, stealing a kiss that Zayn felt his knees buckle. He didn’t let Niall pull away though, as he wrapped his arm quickly on his waist and let their lips press together again, this time, their kiss becoming hard and needy.

The blonde took a sharp breathe, his pale face completely getting red in a matter of seconds. He smiled lazily against his lips and Zayn just couldn’t believe Niall’s here right at the very moment he needed him. It’s like he knows when to show up and Zayn sort of wanted to be dependent on it.

“I thought you might fancy some breakfast.” Niall leaned back, revealing the small tray filled with different breakfast that didn’t seem to be really perfectly cooked, but was enough to warm Zayn’s whole body. “Some of them are burnt but you could skip that – I perfected the egg anyway, so-“

Niall’s words were cut off when Zayn pressed both of his hands on Niall’s face and kissed him fiercely. He didn’t know what it was – the sudden showing up of Niall, the idea that he just cooked him breakfast, that it wasn’t perfect – or probably all of it, ‘cause all Zayn could think of was to strip him off his clothes and just touch him and to feel him against him, his voice-

When Zayn didn’t seem like to have any plans of letting go of his lips, Niall gently pushed his hands on his chest, now looking more flustered than ever. “Hey, did something happen?”

“Can we – can we talk about it later?” Zayn bent his neck and bites the exposed skin of Niall’s shoulder from his tank top. If there’s one thing he doesn’t want to talk about Niall, it’d be his life without him. He doesn’t want to remember who Liam was, or what Nathan did – when they’re together, Zayn just wanted Niall – nothing else. “Please?”

Niall didn’t have to respond as the lad brought their lips back again, letting Zayn slip his tongue and part his lips and took control of the kiss. They moved as they kissed, and it didn’t take long before Niall fell on his mattress, his body completely scarlet by now Zayn just wanted to tear his clothes away if he wasn’t distracted by the blinding light coming out from his window.

“Just a sec,” He lifted his body off the bed, and pulled the curtain’s rope, the fabric quickly moving and covering the whole view. Zayn turned around, and it suddenly didn’t look like morning anymore, it was dark, and the only light they had was the small strip of light coming from the end of the curtain. When he faced Niall, the lad was sitting, waiting for him with hopeful eyes.

Zayn climbed back in bed, his top stripped off and ordered Niall to do the same. He didn’t feel like talking now, he felt like if he did, he wouldn’t say anything but how he wanted Liam to die and Nathan follow him afterwards, and he knows Niall wouldn’t want to hear it.

“I missed you,” Zayn wasn’t so sure if the sound came from his voice or from his Niall, as he was too busy looking back at him with outmost want and need. Niall nodded, and figured he was the one who said it. And then Zayn was feeling hot – more like, scorching – as if someone had just ignited a flame right on his stomach and was slowly eating his body away. He reached for Niall’s hand and kissed his wrists, his eyes falling as he did. “I missed you.”

Again, Niall didn’t say anything. He just shifted forward, his knees bumping onto Zayn and kissed him on his forehead. Niall knew what he needed. He needed something – to keep him to the ground, to keep him sane, to make sure that he’s still Zayn and that he still got Niall and that nothing’s going to happen, even though he knows something will. It was all over his face.

Before the thought of Liam or Nathan come back again, his hands reached for the button of Niall’s shorts, his fingers shaking a bit and unfastened it after a few failed attempts. Niall moved his hips up and let Zayn remove it, together with his boxers. When Niall was sprawled on his bed his blue eyes glided over his body as Zayn hastily unfastened his belt and get rid of his trousers as quickly as possible. The fire inside him was blazing and one more second of touching Niall, he might pass out.

“Can we do it like this?” Zayn leaned back on his headboard, legs slightly spread and his hand reaching for Niall. “I just – I need to”

Niall shook his head, smiling. “You don’t have to ask, Zayn. I know what you need.” He sat up and grabbed Zayn’s hand, kneeling as he moved inside Zayn’s legs. “I’m here. I’ll do anything.” He leaned forward and kissed Zayn lightly on his lips.

Zayn slowly placed his hand on Niall’s hips, his thumb grazing on his hipbone and watched Niall bit his bottom lip from the contact. “Let me hear your voice…” He demanded and Niall nodded, letting his mouth hung open. Niall reached for the drawer and took out the lube himself, he poured an amount on his palm and looked at Zayn before he touched him.

The moment Niall touched him, he felt the burn intensify. Niall’s strokes were slow and teasing, his thumb grazing on its head, before sliding his palm down. Zayn threw his head back a bit, the feeling of Niall’s touch seemed so long it made him so sensitive. When he felt the familiar coil on his stomach, he gently pushed his hand away. Niall took it as a signal and brought his hand towards the headboard and one gripped Zayn’s cock.

Zayn just watched Niall sunk on his cock, the feeling almost tearing his body into two. He bit his lip when Niall buried his head on his shoulder, the tip sliding inside him. When Niall was completely seated on his lap, his legs shaking a bit and sweating on Zayn’s shoulder, Zayn rubbed circles on his back and whispered, “Do you want me to or-“

Niall shook his head instantly and faced him back again. Zayn wondered how someone so red could go redder, but he completely forgot about the question when he felt Niall raising himself up, and then slowly dropping back down. Both of them groaned in pleasure. Niall’s grip on his shoulder tightened, so as Zayn’s on his hips as he guided him back down. He needed more, needed to extinguish this building heat. He needed to share the burn with Niall.

Their silent groans went into obscene moans and cries as Niall picked up his pace, the sound of their skin slapping against each other aroused them even more. Zayn wasn’t just watching him now, he was thrusting as well, meeting Niall’s ass as he brought himself down, feeling the hit of his cock on Niall’s prostate repeatedly.

Niall lost rhythm by now, letting Zayn do much of his work until he was hugging Zayn tight, spilling his release between their chests. Zayn kept it longer though, wanted to wear out Niall and wanted to keep him where he was as long as he could, he changed paces, turns slow and then fast until Niall was begging for it, begging to come again and both of them, falling over the edge.

Niall didn’t initiate to go, thankfully. He stayed and wrapped his legs weakly around Zayn, his huffs hitting Zayn’s neck. He hugged him close, even with the slick feeling of their sweats, Zayn didn’t care less. If he could pull him closer, he will. He never knew he’ll need someone with him this much.

When he pulled out, both of them didn’t really move from where they were, except that now, Niall was lying on top of Zayn and Zayn was half-embracing him, his other arm at the back of his neck. He didn’t notice how long they were lying there, just enjoying the comfortable silence and the beating of their hearts.

“I’ve never told you this before but-“ Zayn hesitated for a while, still thinking if he should say it right now, if this is the right moment – but then Niall raised his head and he was looking at him as if he was _expecting_  him to say exactly what he was thinking so Zayn did. “I think I’m in love with you.”

The moment he said it, Niall had raised half of his body and looked at him as if he couldn’t believe what he just heard. For a moment, Zayn thought he’s going to run away, but instead, Niall chuckled. “What’s funny?”

“I was planning on saying that today too,” said Niall, falling beside him. “Thought I’d be the first one, but then you just blurted it out.” Zayn shifted his body on his side, so he was facing him. “But, it’s nice to hear to come out of you first.” He chuckled, poking the obvious furrow from his forehead.

“So, aren’t you going to say the same thing, too?” Zayn reached for his shoulder, rubbing his thumb on it.

“Mine’s different. ‘Cause I just don’t _‘think’_ I’m in love with you,” He teased, rolling his eyes. Before Zayn could argue that he wasn’t ‘thinking’ about it, it just came out as that, Niall kissed him. “I love you, Zayn.”

And right at that moment, Zayn wanted to lock Niall away on some place where the two of them will be alone. That he’ll be away from this world Zayn was living in, and he was forced to live into. They’ll do this everytime, they’ll be intertwine that being without the other felt like missing your other half – that you can’t function anymore. Zayn wanted to hear it again and again.

“Say it again,” He muttered, not tearing his gaze away from Niall. “Say you love me until I fall asleep.”

Niall chuckled, but didn’t complain. Instead, he pushed his body closer until Zayn sprawled his one arm and let Niall lay his head onto it while his other arm rested on top of Niall’s waist. He felt the brush of his lips on his collarbones and felt his mouth moved.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

Zayn’s eyes dropped into a slow motion until it was only Niall’s voice that echoed inside his head. He didn’t want to think about it, but this sudden confession they had, this moment, was too perfect that he was afraid something might happen if he let Niall leave his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OHMYFUCKINGGOD. Please tell me you loved it. Please tell me it wasn’t so cheesy or whatever the fuck you call it. Hahaha. Anyway, leave your feedback! 3 chapters to go! So make sure you send something to keep me pumped up so you’ll get the next chapter immediately. **evil laugh**


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Two chapter left. TT_TT 
> 
> Warning: Bit of violence. (Don't let it scare you, though)

When Niall woke up with eyes still shut, his face automatically pulled up a wide, content and knowing grin. The images of what happened just hours ago were still fresh to him that he doesn’t even have to work his brain that much to know which one is which. It’s like there’s this movie inside his head and each time he wanted to go back on a certain scene, he’d see it.

That certain moment they spent together was the best one, for Niall at least. He had never felt so wanted before. Every touch of Zayn made him feel like he was burning and the way Zayn looked at him was as if he was going to disappear any moment. It was clear enough that Zayn had missed him the same way he does.

And Niall couldn’t be much happier when he heard that Zayn was in love with him. He felt like a teenage girl finally having the confirmation from her long time crush. He could still feel the aftermath of the fireworks inside him, still bursting whenever the sound of Zayn’s voice reverberated in his head. Niall was even surprised he was able to survive that moment and was still able to respond back; for his mind was all over the place, jumping into every direction, repeating Zayn’s voice.

He felt the smooth fabric on his left cheek as he pressed his face further onto it, giggling like an idiot and stopped abruptly, realizing that Zayn must still be asleep. He finally opened his eyed and hastily turned around, arms outstretched and ready to greet Zayn but only to be disappointed; seeing nothing but an empty space. His heart sank together with his hand on the spot where Zayn _should_ be. It wasn’t even warm enough to even consider that someone was there.

Niall took a deep breath and sat up, trying not to be disheartened that much as he think of Zayn just waiting for him downstairs. He looked over the window and realized that it’s already dark; he must’ve slept the whole morning. Just as he was about to search for his clothes, he saw neatly-folded garments which he assumed was for him, on top of the empty table.

It was only when he was wearing a new pair of jeans when Niall noticed a note beside the clothes he wore. He quickly shoved his red polo shirt down and reached for the paper:

_Something came up and I need to leave immediately, sorry. Dinner’s downstairs, George will assist you. P.S. Don’t leave the house until I’m back. I’ll explain everything. Love you. –Z_

Niall sighed heavily, crumpling the paper and gently putting it down the table before he fixed his collar and left the room. Walking down the hallway, Niall thought of those weeks they haven’t seen each other and the only closest communication they had was a five-minute conversation. It’s not like he was complaining, but he couldn’t help not to be jealous whenever he sees Harry on their doorstep, but not without Zayn. How come Harry could leave and steal an hour or two with Louis but not Zayn? Then of course, he’d realize, he’s dating a gang leader and he was ought to ‘lead’ or whatever he was supposed to do.

When he reached the dining room, the food was already prepared and George was waiting for him beside the table, greeting him with a smile.

“Master Zayn wanted to send his deepest apologies of not joining you tonight, but he promised to be back by morning.” He pulled a chair where Niall used to sit when he first met Zayn, still not knowing that he’s the gang leader of the town he was sort of living in. “If you need anything, I’ll be here.”

Niall nodded, pulling his chair closer to the table and let his eyes shift from one food to another. As scrumptious as it looks, Niall didn’t have much enthusiasm to gobble up everything and take one plate after another. He kept on glancing at the empty seat of which Zayn should be seated. He shook his head. _Niall, you’re overreacting. He’s just gone for the day. He’d be back tomorrow alright? Stop worrying every goddamn second._

Still, talking to himself didn’t helped that much. He couldn’t concentrate. It was like being eaten from the inside by the thought of Zayn, leaving every now and then and he was left here, not aware of what was exactly going on and worse he’s not contributing anything at all. Right after Louis had explained to him about Zayn’s past, Niall had this longing to talk to him about it, to know his side and maybe let Zayn open up.

Unfortunately, the only chance he got was this morning, which ended up pretty quick. And although he’s not really complaining for how it ended, the moment they wake up should’ve been a great chance to talk to him.  

Unable to stop his lips from pouting, Niall took hold of his fork and stabbed the meat drowning with red, thick sauce and dropped it to his plate with an audible splat. George looked at him curiously and a bit worriedly so Niall made a quick smile and the old man, did the same before looking away.

As he chewed his food without much gusto, his mind kept running back at Zayn, his job, his past, their relationship – it was driving him insane, so he chewed harder until he completely sucked the sauce out of the meat and now it tastes bland inside his mouth he almost spit it out, if he didn’t caught George staring at him.

He wondered if Zayn ever thought of telling him about his past, like just open up and tell him everything. Then again, he never asked.  Still, he might’ve thought of it once, right? But what if he didn’t? What if he doesn’t have any plans at all? What if he doesn’t really trust him that much at all? Niall felt his stomach turn, enough to make his left eye close for a moment – it was painful to think.

Maybe Zayn had noticed how he worried about him too much that he’s starting to get irritated or worse, think of him as a clingy boyfriend. Maybe if he told him more about what he was doing, Niall would stop him further and beg him to stop being a gang leader, which crosses his mind sometimes, but he knows it’s impossible. Zayn warned him before they get serious, and he has all the reasons to run away, but he didn’t so in conclusion – he chose this.

“Mr. Horan, are you alright?” George was suddenly peering on his side out of nowhere, his white beard almost brushing to his neck that Niall jumped from his seat, knocking his plate and sending the meat across the table.

“I’m sorry. I don’t feel like eating tonight.”

“But Master Zayn insists that you-“

“Don’t worry, he’ll understand.” Niall left the dining room and walked towards the main hall. He needed to cool his head – he needed to sop doubting everything about Zayn.

Just as he was about to go back upstairs, his phone vibrated.

He took it out of his pocket and saw a message from Louis’s phone. _Why didn’t he just call?_ When he opened the message, it said nothing but his name.

“What?” Niall tried to scroll down, thinking it was just one of those Louis’s long message that you thought was important, but at the end of the message there’s this icon of laughing. But Niall didn’t see any of it. All of a sudden, he felt a rush of nervousness crawling through his system – he remembered Zayn’s note: _Don’t leave the house until I’m back. I’ll explain everything…_

What if – what if something happened to Louis again? He was asleep when Niall left this morning and Harry just left – what if someone came to their house to make sure they finally got him? The fear prickled every inch of his skin and Niall stared at his message for the longest time. He could picture Louis hiding somewhere, texting him what happened and it was too late – No. No. _Please._

Without thinking, he rushed towards the entrance, pushing the 6-foot tall wooden door and was about to head outside when George’s voice stopped him.

“Mr. Horan! You are not allowed to leave the mansion!” He ran to where he stood, anxiety all over his face. “It’s a strict order that you should not leave until Master Zayn is back.”

“My friend’s in danger!” snapped Niall, thrusting the phone to George’s chest. The old man took it and stared it the same amount of time he did and looked back at him questioningly. “He – he’s about to tell me something, I don’t know. I have to go!”

“But, surely this might be a trap. Mr. Tomlinson is-“

“I have no time to think if it’s a trap or not, George! Please, provide me a car, I have to make sure!” Niall shouted, taking the attention of the nearby guards.

“Listen. You have to calm down, Mr. Horan. If something happened to him, Master Zayn and Harry must’ve done something already. Leave it to their hands. It’s dangerous-“

“What if they don’t have any idea? What if they’re busy doing something else? That’s my bestfriend out there! He could be in grave danger any minute. I can’t worry about myself now! I need to go!” Niall reasoned out, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation. When he saw a man approaching, he pointed towards his direction and raised his voice as high as he could, “You! Go and get me a car. This is an emergency. Zayn allowed me to do this,” The man hesitated, “I said Zayn allowed me to do this!” And with that, the guard rushed to the opposite direction, towards the garage.

“You’ll have to come with some guards, Mr. Horan. It might be a trap. You could be in danger.” George warned. “We could call him and tell him what happened.”

And then disturb him? No way. Niall could deal with this himself. This is the time where he could prove to him that he could protect someone too and that he won’t be living forever behind Zayn – he could stand next to him. If he could prove to Zayn that he’s good and strong enough and that he could come back home safely, then maybe he’ll open up more and maybe even bring him to where he goes, let him know about his plans and everything.

“Trust me, George. I can protect myself.” Niall gave his most genuine smile when the car approached. The man was just about to ask where he’s going but Niall quickly snatched his key “Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Before George could protest any further, Niall turned the key and started his engine. He doubt George wouldn’t follow him so he drove faster. He has to be there first. He had to prove to Zayn that he could do this, that he’s not just someone who’ll stay inside his room and worry about him every second of everyday. He could help him too. He was sure as hell he will.

\---

It was already close to midnight when Niall arrived to Louis’s house due to lack of training on driving (and the difficulty manoeuvring fancy cars) and a slight battle inside him that he should just go home and let Zayn deal with this himself, which he brushed off quickly before he changes his mind.

For safety measures, he parked a couple of blocks away from where their house is and then quickly stepped out, glancing on every direction for any suspicious looking person that might grab him out of nowhere. Luckily though, no one seemed to be there.

When he was already in front of their house, he felt his body tensed not just from the harsh blowing of the wind on his back but also the thought of what George told him – What if this was really a trap? Again, he tried to ignore this. He rubbed his hands on his bare arms as the coldness began to prickle on his skin. His anxiety heightened when he realized Louis’s house looked deserted. The curtains were drawn, and there was no light on, not even the one they kept on outside. Even if Louis was asleep, he never forgets to turn on the lights.

He could feel his heart on his throat now, the idea of going here might be a bad idea after all. He glanced back to the car then to the road, _George and those guards should be here by now,_ he thought. Did something happen to them on the road? What if they realized he was being a brat and they shouldn’t risk their life for him? After all, he’s just their master’s ‘boyfriend’.

He swallowed hard as he walked towards the lawn, his breathing becoming irregular now, as if he was desperate for air. Niall couldn’t even stop his legs and fingers from shaking now and the more he got closer, the more his body felt like turning around and just run away.

Still, he fought with it. If Louis was indeed inside and was in danger – then it’s his job to help him. But at the back of his mind, Niall wished this was just some kind of prank and when he opened the door, Louis would pop out of nowhere and laugh because he looked so worried and scared to death. Then maybe he could release his anger and annoyance to him.

With one final deep breathe, Niall held out his hand and knocked one – two then three before he called Louis. He stood there, hand resting on the door, waiting for a movement so he could be sure Louis’s inside and maybe he fell asleep and forgot about the whole prank. Still, these hopeful thoughts didn’t help him to calm down, not when there seems to be no one inside and Niall could feel his heart clawing out of his chest.

_You could do this Niall. If someone’s in there, go kick their goddamn ass. Maybe Louis shouldn’t be an excuse, too, making him do this._

He was just to knock again when he heard a movement from the inside, from what he figured out, a movement of the chair. _So the bloke isn’t asleep._ But instead of opening the door for him, he only heard the click of the lock and then that was it. _Of course, he’s supposed to open the door by himself._

When Niall opened the door, he expected the roar of Louis’s laugh in the middle of the night, enough to wake up their neighbours. He expected his body jumping at him from behind out of the darkness. He expected _Louis_ to be there not five or six or seven strangers looking at him with their haughty expressions, one of them sitting on the couch, twisting something on his palm in which Niall figured soon enough as Louis’s phone.

Niall felt his whole body tremble when their eyes met. He couldn’t move a muscle and even if he wanted to run, his body wouldn’t budge. It felt like his brain had just left him and there was nothing that he could hear but his loud gasps and his heartbeat. He stood there, frozen; his fingers wouldn’t even curl to a fist.

 _Run, Niall. Run. Move your fucking legs._ But none of it worked. _Goddamit, Niall. You have to move._

“Told you he’d come running here.” The guy behind the one sitting spoke. He looked like he was of the same age and if Niall looked closely, so as the one holding Louis’s phone. But he assumed the one sitting was their leader of some sort, seeing that he was the only one – well, sitting. “Worried about his best friend, texting his name, eh?”

George was right. This was a trap and he didn’t just fell on it – he brought himself right where they wanted him to be. _He was so stupid. So stupid._

“Aren’t you going to ask where your friend is?” The guy who last spoke asked him. And just as quickly as he asked, Niall opened his mouth and asked, “Where is he?”

The one that seems to be the leader laughed first, then the rest followed. Niall lowered his head and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. He felt the rush of blood on his cheeks, the burn behind his ears and the louder their laughter got, the more likely Niall wanted to disappear and die. He was being humiliated by strangers and he was just there, standing and letting them embarrass him.

“Unfortunately, your friend got away.” Niall lifted his head and for a second, he was glad to know Louis was able to run away. But none of them seemed too worried about it, seeing the situation he’s in. “That fucker is quick and he could throw in a few punches. Probably should’ve make it sure he died from that shot.”

“YOU! You’re the one who-“

“Why yes! I thought you knew! Looks like Zayn’s not sharing enough information about me, huh? Too bad,” He laughed sarcastically, crossing his legs at the same time. Niall finally got the strength to clench his fist, anger building up inside him.

“Oooh, someone’s getting angry.” He said, raising his hand as if giving up. “You know I was a bit afraid you’d do the same thing – but turns out, you’re quite _cooperative._ I thought being Zayn’s lover could make you cold like he is but turns out, you’re the opposite!”

“SHUT UP!” Niall bellowed and he made a move to lunge forward, his fist in the air but was quickly thrown back by a strong push on his chest, sending him to the floor. He quickly stood up, ignoring the pain on his back. This man is the reason why Louis almost died, why Zayn worked so hard everyday to make sure he’s safe….

He was just about to take another step when something hit right to his stomach and realized that the one behind the leader was already beside him, watching him drop to the floor with his hand clutching the part where there was the quick build-up of pain.

“Make another move and you’ll break some bones.” The guy knelt and pulled his hair back, giving Niall just the time to spit on his face. “YOU FUCKER!” The grip on his hair grew tighter and Niall felt his head hit the floor with a violent push. “You think I’d go gentle with you, huh? Well, guess what. You mess with the wrong guy!”

Niall groaned as another tug pull his head up, not giving him enough time to open his eyes when his head hit the floor again, this time much stronger that he felt his body curling up automatically and the pulsating pain on his forehead made his vision blurry.

“Nathan, that’s enough. You’ll kill him.”

“After we kill Zayn, he’s going next.”

 _No. Don’t. Not Zayn!_ He could hear himself scream desperately, but none of it seemed to come out of his mouth. He watched his hand scratch along the floor, moved his legs and pushed his body up so he could stop them, but no – he couldn’t feel anything anymore. He was helpless as a bird that has lost its wings. He couldn’t even move a goddamn muscle, couldn’t even fight back, couldn’t even run like what Louis had done. He was, as always, just waiting to be saved. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: FEEDBAAAACK PEOPLE. FEEDBACK. I did a good job updating quickly. XD


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter to go, mates.. I know I’m the worst updater, but thank you for your patience and for sticking up with me. You guys are cute as a button. xx

Zayn always felt like he was into another country everytime he stepped into Harry’s place. Located at the edge of the city far away from the noise and chaos, Harry’s single-detached house stood atop of a hill, high enough to see the view of the city right outside his window. Compared to Zayn’s mansion which was twenty times bigger, Harry’s house didn’t even cover half of his lot. It wasn’t miles away from the gate, didn’t have guards roaming around and doesn’t have dozens of cars parked in his garage. Anyone who doesn’t know he was a member of the most powerful gang in Bradford would think that Harry is just like any other neighbour, having barbecues in his backyard, tending his flower garden and spending the rest of his day cuddling his boyfriend at the porch.

Zayn used to laugh at how simple Harry was and his fear of being too flashy and not wanting to scare his neighbours. He’d tease him for not being such a good sport and convince him to try and splurge sometimes. And luckily, Harry agreed for once and bought that convertible Audi that wasn’t even the latest one. And that was it. The rest of what he bought was a new stove, a swing set, a grill, a new candlelight holder and even some string lights to hang around his apple tree.

 

Before, Zayn could never understand why Harry preferred this kind of life, but after all that happened to them from the past few days Zayn finally understood the purpose of this place. A place where Harry could simply live with Louis, doing normal things and knowing that they were far away from any trouble or danger.

And now, seeing it again from the inside, Zayn realized he wanted the same thing with Niall.

He imagined it. He imagined living with Niall far away from this place. In a place where Zayn doesn’t have to worry on leaving Niall for a while, afraid that something might happen to him. He imagined getting used to waking up with Niall beside him, probably still asleep or maybe with his guitar and his morning voice filling up the room as he sings. Zayn would watch Niall cook for him, eat everything he serves while they casually discuss about who’s going to wash the dishes or do the laundry. Zayn would kiss him every morning, when he wakes up, when he’s writing new songs, when they’re about to sleep – every chance he could. They could lie next to each other for the rest of their lives and Zayn wouldn’t care less, as long as he could hold Niall, his body intertwined to his, knowing that he’ll be safe even when Zayn closes his eyes.

He promised himself that after he deals with Liam and Nathan and once this whole thing is over, he’d discuss to Harry about his new plans. His life of being a gang leader would end soon. He would leave Bradford and start a new life with Niall. They’d live in a place where he and Niall could find a job and live a normal, peaceful life.

It’ll be a lot to take in, Zayn was aware of that. A mansion left without the master, cars without their driver, a gang without their leader – but those things were the littlest of Zayn’s worries. He had those things when he thought it made him happy, but now that he found the true reason to be, none of them seemed to matter anymore.

And tonight, all of these would be over. Once they find out about Liam’s hideout - the bloke’s done, and so was Nathan. Harry, most of all, would teach them a lesson they surely won’t forget. None of them discussed how they were going to deal with those two once they get a hold of them, but Zayn was sure Harry wouldn’t be as gentle as he was before. After all, almost killing his boyfriend was like attempting to cut his head off, but failing. And Harry was back to haunt them all.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening in full swing that the decorations on the wall rattled. It was Harry, panting and drenched in his own sweat.

“What’s wrong?” Zayn asked, sitting up.

“You wouldn’t believe what just happened.”

—-

Downstairs, Zayn saw Louis lying on the couch, with bandages all over his feet. When Louis saw him, he pushed himself up and Harry hurriedly ran to his side, assisting him.

“Hey, Zayn…” Louis said, smiling weakly at him.

“What the hell happened?”

Louis took a deep breath, looking at Harry before he turned to Zayn. His words rushed in. “I was watching a movie, I think it was ‘Wrath of the Titans’ or something when someone just kicked the door open. I’m not kidding, some big guy kicked it and it dropped dead on the floor. And then he stepped back and there I saw Liam and Nathan standing side by side, smiling at me, asking me how’s it going and before I knew it, three guys were rushing to my direction and I just dodged some, threw a few punches and then ran in the fastest way possible. I forgot my shoes, thus – the wounds.” He said, pointing to his feet, still fresh with some wounds visible from the white cloth.

“You were really brave, babe.” Harry kissed his forehead and held his hand. “I promise you, they’re going to pay for everything they did to you.” Louis nodded, smiling fondly at him as they pressed their foreheads together and was almost close to kissing when Harry noticed Zayn, still frozen and emotionless on his seat. “Mate, you alright?”

Zayn wasn’t. Listening as Louis narrated what happened, Zayn felt uneasy. All of a sudden, he felt nervous about something, but he wasn’t sure what exactly it was. He just knew, from the way his chest was beating furiously that something was wrong.

Louis reached his hand and rested it on Zayn’s knee, squeezing it gently. Zayn looked up and he was surprised by Louis’s sweet smile flashing before him. “Zayn, don’t worry about Niall. He’s safe in your mansion, right? Nothing’s going to happen to him when he’s there.”

And then it hit him. Zayn hadn’t checked on Niall ever since he left. What if something happened to him? What if he suddenly went outside and Liam or some of his gang members were waiting for him? His head was pounding and just as the idea to call Niall, his phone rang.

“Who is it?” Harry asked, wrinkling his forehead as Zayn stood up and struggled to pull out his phone, unable to stop his fingers from shaking.

Flipping his phone, Zayn was taken aback from the name flashing on his screen. “George?” He said out loud, making Louis and Harry exchange looks of bewilderment. “Why would – why would George call me?”

Louis shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe you guys ran out of butter or something.” Both he and Harry chuckled, except for Zayn who wasn’t in the greatest mood to laugh at this moment. George would never call him because of butter or because the pipe was broken or something like that – he made a clear rule that George would only call him unless it was a serious emergency. And the last thing he asked him to take care of was Niall…

“Come on, Zayn. Just answer the damn phone already. Maybe it’s something important…” Harry said, leaning forward.

“Yeah…okay.” Trying not to be swayed by his thoughts, Zayn took a deep breath and answered his phone. “George, it’s me. What—“

Zayn was cut off by George’s shaky voice as he spoke. He held the phone tighter to his ear as he listened; trying to catch his words, but none of them seemed to register completely…

“He said Louis was in danger…texted him…took your car and went back to their house…we didn’t know where it was…no one was there…but your car…”

Silence.

Zayn was unable to move his muscle, he couldn’t open his mouth nor could he pull his phone and stop himself from listening to what George was saying.

"We tried to look for him…asked everyone to sweep the city…asked around…we – we couldn’t find him…I’m so sorry…”

In a blink of an eye, images of Zayn’s past flashed before him. Seeing his grandfather get shot, bodies of his family and close friends got covered with those white sheets as he stood there, watching, holding back any of his emotions from coming out. He could hear their voices call out his name, screaming for help. He could see them trying to pull him away from this life, but none of them were successful to reach for his hand.

Zayn felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Harry and Louis standing behind him, looking at him anxiously. “What happened? What did he say?”

Zayn felt numb. Something he wasn’t able to feel for such a long time. The hone slipped from his fingertips as he looked towards Harry, then to Louis. “Niall received a text from your phone…”

“W-what?” Louis took a step closer.

“He got a text from you and he thought – he thought it was you, so he took my car and drive back to your house…” Zayn said, his voice trembling. “But instead of seeing you…”

“Oh my god…” Louis gasped, his hand flying to his mouth and his other one grasping onto Harry’s. “Oh my god, please don’t tell me…”

“They got Niall…Liam and Nathan, and everyone who tried to take you – they took him…”

Zayn dropped his head and that was it. His vision went black and Zayn was screaming – screaming out Niall’s name, screaming out the pain that was eating him up as he punched the wall, over and over again. He swung his arms until his knuckles bled, until it hurts enough so to cover the painful tightening of his chest.

“Zayn!” Harry pulled him by his waist and pushed him down, Harry climbing on top of him and holding his hands up. “Stop it!” Harry shouted, locking Zayn between his knees.

“I’m going to kill them all! I’m going to fucking kill their families, their loved ones, every little thing they love – I swear I’ll kill all of them!” Zayn yelled, struggling to get Harry off of him. “Let go of me, Harry – I’m going to make them pay – I’m going to make them sorry for their damn, fucking lives!”

“Zayn! Stop it! You’re not thinking straight, alright? You have to calm – fuck – you have to calm down!”

When Harry attempted to pin him down, Zayn twisted his body and successfully pushed Harry away from him. “Tell me how I am supposed to calm down! Somewhere out there – Niall could be beaten out of their amusement, he could be tortured or anything – he could be dead, I don’t know – and you’re asking me to think straight—“

A hand lashed straight to his face and Zayn’s words were cut off instantly. Tugging the collar of his shirt, Zayn met Louis’s blue-turned-gray eyes, glaring down at him. “You fucker – don’t you fucking dare say Niall’s dead or I’ll kill you before you see him again. You’ll listen to what Harry tells you – you calm the fuck down and think of how you’re going to save my best friend. I don’t care about what you went through, but this one isn’t dead yet, Zayn. So you better get your shit together and plan how you’re going to get him back and not how you’re going to be a fucking murderer, you got it?”

They stared at each other for a while, Zayn completely struck from what Louis looked, did and said. Never in his life had he imagined Louis would hit him, and say those things. He turned away and bit his lip before he nods, allowing Louis to let go of his collar while Harry, who felt his body stilled, stood up.

“Get up there, mate.” Harry, who acted like nothing happened at all, smiled gently at him and offered his hand. “We got some ass to kick tonight.”

—-

“I’m Liam Payne. Nice to meet you, Niall. Please, take a seat.”

Niall stood still by the door, staring at this ‘Liam’ who was smiling at him and pointing to an empty chair as if he was just going to have a normal job interview. The only thing is this kind of job interview involves the employee being tightly roped by the wrist and ushered by two massive guys ready to smack the shit out of him if he tried to escape. The taste of blood on his lips and the throbbing of his head was already a warning. Still, Niall thought it wouldn’t hurt to try again.

As he was dragged towards his seat, Niall carefully looked around, biting his lip and moving his eyes from corner to corner, searching for open doors or windows that he could run into. He may not be a good fighter, he could finally admit that, thanks to these bastards, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good runner. He could tackle these two and run away, only if there’s—

“If you’re thinking of running away, you’re free to do so.” Niall stopped dead on his tracks. He felt like someone had just poured him a bucket of ice. “You could run, really – no one’s going to chase you. But I’m afraid you’re far away from home.” Liam said, playfully swivelling his chair. “We’re no longer in Bradford, Niall.”

“What?”

That very moment his jaw dropped and his eyes narrowed towards Liam, the bloke let out a cold and intimidating laugh, as if that very expression of his was what Liam was waiting for. Niall bit his lips, balling his fists behind him. He attempted to take one step closer to Liam, but he was immediately stopped by two tight grips on his arms, something Niall wouldn’t doubt will be leaving bruises later.

“I’m sorry.” Liam cocked his head, smiling – he was definitely not sorry, and Niall’s urge to hit him in any way possible grew bigger. “You’re in Wolverhampton now. My hometown, our hometown,” stressed Liam, glancing on every guy inside the room like it should make them happy for acknowledging their presence. “This is the city wherein if people find out you’re related to Zayn, consider yourself dead.” He added, swinging his legs on the desk and leaning back against his chair with his hands behind his head. “Not definitely a good place to come running around, huh?”

Niall gulped. Even with the low temperature of the room, he could feel his cold sweat sliding down to his chin. Liam was right. Even if he managed to run away, once he gives the message to everyone that someone related to Zayn was lurking in their city, he won’t make it outside alive. Feeling the dread of the situation he was into, Niall couldn’t do anything but just to look away and try not hear the mocking laughter around him and how it made things worse, knowing that he brought himself into this situation. If only he had listened to what Zayn told him to do, if only he didn’t decide things on his own – then none of this could’ve happened.

“Actually, I really want to thank you –“ Liam’s voice suddenly went soft, or maybe less-mocking, Niall didn’t really care, all he know was this bastard had a thing for humiliating others. “You see, if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t find out about Zayn’s weakness. Honestly, I didn’t expect it. I thought he’d be shaken by the loss of his family and friends but he didn’t. But then, you showed up and one look from the way Zayn was acting – we knew, we finally found that person he couldn’t afford to lose –“

“You bastard!” With all his efforts, Niall pushed himself off the grip on his shoulders and ran towards Liam, kicking his chair and toppling him to the ground. Liam tried to push him away, but Niall, used to wrestling Louis, managed to lock him between his knees and gave him one solid, headbutt before he was pulled away by several guys and thrust him towards the ground, pulling him away from Liam. “Zayn’s going to kick your sorry ass and you’ll be begging for your life!”

“Take that fucker away from me before I do something to him!” Liam bellowed, rubbing his head. “Fuck – I’m being nice to you and this is what you give in return?”

“Fuck you.” Niall gritted, spitting on Liam’s shirt and instantly, he received a firm smack on his jaw from one of the guys holding him down. “I didn’t ask you to be fucking nice to me.”

Liam sat up, looking utterly disgusted to his shirt. “When Zayn comes here, we’ll see who’s going to beg for someone’s life.” Muttering curses under his breath, Liam fiddled with his pocket and brought out his phone. Niall’s heart started to beat rapidly as he watched the movement of Liam’s finger, his quick glances on him with a smirk on his lips and how slowly he pressed his phone against his ear.

“Zayn, it’s me.” Liam stood up, walking towards Niall who was still pinned on the floor. Liam looked down at him. “Nathan, oh yeah – he’s getting ready for your reunion. Niall – oh, he’s alright – just a couple of bruises,” Liam chuckled, “I really wish I could see your face when you said that, I’m pretty sure it’s something worth remembering. Heartless Zayn Malik – finally growing some emotions…” He laughed again, “Oh, you want to talk to him? Sure. I’m not that selfish you know…” Liam signalled the men behind Niall and harshly, they pulled him and made him sat up. Liam moved his phone closer to Niall, smiling at him as if he didn’t just knock his head off a while ago. “Go on, don’t be shy. It could be your last…”

With one final flick of Liam’s hand, Niall slowly leaned forward. “Zayn?”

He heard nothing but static sounds, and for a split second, he thought Liam might be fucking with him again, making him feel worse than he already was. And then he heard his voice. “Niall.”

Holding back the well of his tears, Niall pursed his lips and closed his eyes. “I’m so sorry…I didn’t follow what you said – I should’ve listened to George, I shouldn’t have gone on my own, I’m so sorry…”

“Niall – it’s alright,” Zayn’s voice was soothing, as if he was right there beside him. “I’m coming for you. I’ll get you out of there, just – don’t do anything that will give them a reason to hurt you, understood?”

“Okay - Okay, I promise.”

Zayn took a deep breathe. “Uhm, Niall?”

“Yeah?”

“I lo—“

“Alright! Time’s up!” Liam snatched the phone back, looking quite pleased by what he did. Liam should thank Zayn for telling him not to do anything reckless again or else Liam will find himself underneath him again and receiving more than just a headbutt. He’ll fucking destroy his face. “I’m sorry, lover boy.” Liam winked and sat back to his chair, bringing the phone back to his ear. “Hey, Zayn. So here are the rules. If you want Niall to receive less pain, you’ll come alone—“

“You bloody cowards!”

“Shut him up,” Liam snapped and automatically, a hand lashed out on the other side of his jaw, making Niall spit some blood. “What – oh yeah, he was being too noisy. Yeah, yeah – I’ll listen to your rant later - Remember, alone, Zayn. Don’t fuck with me – or I’ll make sure you won’t see this boyfriend of yours ever again…” And with that, Liam put down his phone, looking straight into his eyes as rested both of his elbows on his knees, setting the tips of his fingers together.

“Ah, this is gonna be a great show. Zayn Malik, the well-known gang leader of Bradford, who doesn’t seem to care about anything in the world, is on his way to save his boyfriend, an innocent, runaway kid from Ireland.” Liam whispered, raising Niall’s chin and pulling him closer until Niall could see nothing but the dark of his eyes. “I can’t wait to see how this story’s going to end.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER I'M SORT OF TEARING UP

It’s an old warehouse, how fucking cliché, Zayn thought as he stood in front of the 10-feet high-fenced gate, waiting for someone to open it up for him so they’d just get this whole thing over with. In a distance, a figure slowly approaches his direction, a gun evident on his right hand. He looked around and pointed his gun in every direction, making sure Zayn was alone.

“If you have any weapons with you better drop them now or you’ll be sorry,” The man said, aiming his pistol directly on Zayn’s forehead. “I got every fucking right to blow your fucking head off, Malik.”

“Oh really?” Zayn couldn’t believe this man, whose hand was terribly shaking was the one sent by Liam to take his life if he did something wrong. “Are you sure you even know how to use a gun?”

The man chuckled, scratching his head with his free hand. “Can’t believe you still have the fucking balls to say that when we got your boyfriend’s life and all.” He leaned forward, his face almost pressed to the wires of the gate. “I can see why you like him though. Lad’s got a smooth skin, he probably screams so loud when you fuck him.”

“Stop it,” Zayn hissed, clenching his fists as he looked down on his shoes.

“When I got the chance to torture you, I’m going to fuck your boy-“

“You say one more word about Niall and your life will the first one I’m going to take.” Zayn raised his head and swiftly ran towards the gate, his body slamming against, spitting every word at the bloody coward behind the fence. He could feel his blood rushing behind his ears, the urge to break his jaw and pull out his teeth one by one was so strong he almost forgot what he’s in here for. “Don’t think I’m going to be scared by someone like you.”

“B-Back off!” The man was suddenly on his feet, backing away with his gun still pointing at him. “You’re clearly forgetting you’re not in your hometown anymore! Everyone in here wants to kill you!”

“Then open this gate and I’ll see what they can do.” Zayn said, kicking the gate repeatedly. His patience was losing. He felt like he was going closer and closer to some kind of inhuman transformation out to kill everyone in his sight. Harry and Louis kept reminding him that he shouldn’t do anything reckless – Niall’s life was on the line. “Goddamn it! Let me see Niall!”

A few men started approaching the gate and Zayn calmed down, watching as the first guy who talked to him was suddenly being ushered away. Zayn made a quick note of his face and his clothes, the man cowering away as he does. There was no way he’s going to let him get away after everything he said about Niall.

“Okay lover boy. Hands in your head and don’t think of doing anything funny.” A tall guy with a strong built and an orange beanie that stands out too much was the one who opened the gates – no guns or weapons. Zayn knew immediately this one wouldn’t even think twice of severely injuring him – so he followed. “There’s a good boy.”

He felt a hand on his shoulder and Zayn bit his lip. He wanted to start swinging punches, let this anger out of his system but he had to wait a little longer. He had to make sure Niall was okay.

\---

Niall woke up with his ankles and wrists bound tightly by a rope that even the slightest movements was impossible. He looked around and realized he was still in the same room, except that he’s alone. The last time he saw Liam was after he successfully hit him square in his head. After Liam asked that brute to hit shut him up, two guys effortlessly tied him to this chair without any resistance and before he passes out, Liam told him that the next time they’d see again, Zayn would be there beside him.

Zayn. The blond felt a hard lump on his throat and fought away his tears from falling. Zayn would be here to save him. He’s life was on a line for some stupid reasons and Niall wasn’t so sure anymore if he’d want to see the look on Zayn’s face when they meet again. If they do get out of here safely and hopefully with not much of blood spilled or nothing at all, he wondered if Zayn would still want him. What if Zayn breaks up with him? What if he realized he doesn’t love him that much to go all through this? Worst – what if Zayn wouldn’t come and save him at all?

His last question was answered when the door clicked and exactly as Niall looked up, he met Zayn’s worried eyes, gazing down at him. And just like that, Niall was crying, struggling to get out of his seat, desperately wanting to have Zayn’s arms around him, to tell him it’s alright and that nobody’s going to get hurt and they’re going to get out of here safely. Both of them.

“Zayn…” Niall’s voice came out hoarse, followed by a few coughs that made Zayn flinch. “You’re here.”

Even before Zayn got the permission to do anything, the lad already shoved Liam’s body away, almost throwing him sideways as he ran towards Niall and knelt in front of him, both hands on his cheeks, wiping the trails of his tears and muttering his name repeatedly.

Niall dipped his head on Zayn’s shoulders, his chest heavy and throbbing. He doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know what to do. Zayn pulled his body closer until their chests bumped and Zayn’s hugging him, squeezing him and kissing his cheeks. “I’m here now…It’s going to be okay…”

“I’m so sorry…” Niall mumbled through his sniffs. “I’m so sorry…”

Zayn hushed him, backing away and looking straight into his eyes. “Don’t blame yourself.” Zayn kissed him again and again. “We’re getting out of here, okay? I’m going to make everyone inside this place pay for what they’ve done to you...” Zayn said pointedly, his thumb brushing at the obvious bruise right at the corner of Niall’s mouth. Zayn stood up, his fingers running through his hair, pressing his lips on his forehead. “It’s going to be over soon. I promise.”

\---

“Well, that brought tears to my eyes.” Liam said flatly, pretending to wipe something on his cheek. “Now that reunion time is over, it’s time for us to discuss—“

“There’s nothing to discuss.”

“What did you say?” Liam blinked furiously, his hands clenching up on his sides.

“You heard me. I said there was nothing to discuss about this whole thing. I know you, Liam. You don’t work this way. You don’t hurt people and that’s why your father never trusted you to handle this way of living.” Zayn said, looking away and using every ounce of his willpower not to add that Liam’s better off being a nurse than a gang leader. If it wasn’t for Harry and Louis’s suggestion and if it wasn’t Niall’s life on the line, Zayn would start kicking everyone’s face right after he saw how severely injured Niall was. He could even picture burning all of them alive, that’d be nice after what they’ve done to him.

“Are you saying I’m not capable of doing this? ‘Cause for your information, Zayn. I think I’m the only one so far that made you go through this.” Liam gritted, pointedly looking behind him. “Don’t tell me you came all the way in here thinking that if you just talk it out to me, everyone will go home happy.”

“Why not?” Zayn shrugged. “We could actually go home and be happy and forget this thing happened. I could even forgive you about Niall since I’m hundred per cent sure all those bruises didn’t come from you.”

“E-excuse me?”

“Come on, you don’t have to lie to me. As I’ve said, I know you, Liam. You wouldn’t hurt anyone. You’re too kind to be in this game. You always ask other people to do the hitting for you. Why? Because you can’t do it. You can’t bear to have your hands stained and that’s something your father always –“

He was cut off when Liam pushed him backwards his hands clutching on his collar, barely lifting him from his feet. “Don’t you fucking speak like you know anything about me, Zayn. You’re forgetting where you are right now. I’ll just say the word and your boyfriend’s dead.”

The brown of his eyes disappears in a swirl of darkness as Zayn’s hands gripped Liam’s hand, tightening his hold onto it until Liam’s face scrunches. “Touch him and your family’s dead.” Instantly, Liam’s hold on him loosened. “What?”

Zayn stretched his arm, pulling the sleeve of his coat to his elbow, exposing his wristwatch. “In ten minutes, if I don’t call Louis’s phone, he’d take it as a signal that I’m dead or you probably did something to Niall, and the next thing you know, every member of your family, everyone carrying your blood will be wiped away from this world.” Zayn said, looking at Liam’s strong façade slowly slithers away. He could see nothing but fear and worry and even with what he did to Niall, he knew this was a lot to take in. Liam’s new to this and he’ll always be and Zayn’s only hoping he’d get that soon enough.

“I – I’m not,” Liam backed away, his hands flying to his hair. “This isn’t what I signed up for!” He screamed as his eyes and stance started to waver. “I have nothing to do with Nathan’s fucked-up revenge with you!”

“Then why are you doing this?”

Liam leaned back against the wall, his eyes flicking back and fro to Niall and to Zayn. “I’ve always wanted to prove to him that I am capable of taking over his gang, but he never believed me. Told me I was too weak and all. And then I met Nathan, told me everything about you, your hideouts and then Niall. It’s all too perfect. He got it all planned out. And I thought he’s going to pull this one—“

“And I will.” Nathan’s familiar voice was like the trigger Zayn was waiting for. He hurtled around, ready to land his fist on Nathan’s face but before he could, Nathan’s silver pistol was already aiming right between his eyes. “Missed me that much?”

“I’m going to kill you.”

“Judging from the situation we’re in, shouldn’t I be the one saying that to you?” Nathan smirked. “So, what did I miss? Oh, shit – I didn’t get to see your lovely reunion with your lover here.” He said, peeking to Niall’s direction. “How’re you doing?”

Niall replied with a glower that sent Nathan chuckling. “Man, your boyfriend already got some of your traits. Is he included in your trainings?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Nathan. Stop this – they got my family, if Zayn doesn’t call—“

“Shut the fuck up, Liam.” Nathan spat, pressing his fingers on the bridge of his nose. “All you do is whine, you notice that? Now I know why your father never let you handle things like this. Seriously – he just told you he’s got your family and you already fall for that? Are you a child or what?”

As expected, Nathan thought of this carefully. Zayn could never deny how intelligent this bloke is. He’s good with everything – handling guns, tactics, socializing with people, planning – he was everything a gang leader would look for his members. But even with this, Zayn always felt something was behind such loyalty and kindness, things he already learned from what happen to his grandfather.

“Nathan, I need to make sure they’re safe.” Liam said, pulling Nathan’s arm. “I need Zayn to make that call.”

“Christ, Liam!” Nathan snapped his arm away and Liam looked more shocked than the people around him. “You’re so dramatic, you’re ruining everything.”

“W-what—“

“Oi! Someone take this kid back to his mum’s womb.” Nathan commanded and five guys twice the size of Liam scampered inside the room, holding him down as Liam tried to fight back.

“What the hell is this, Nathan? We had a deal! You can’t do this to me!” Attempting to break away, Liam elbowed and threw in a few punches, struggling to grasp away, but it was no use. “I trusted you! I let you sleep in my house, let you lead my followers –“

“You had no people to begin with, young lad. Don’t you see? They were following your orders because they’re hoping that after this, I’d get your position. They want action, adrenaline. Who would want to follow a gang leader that couldn’t even hit a guy? This is how we play the game.” Nathan sniggered, gesturing the lads to drag Liam out of the room, earning howls and cheers, drowning Liam’s protests. “He should’ve asked for your advice you know.”

“You’re going to regret this.” Zayn said, lowering his head and looking at Niall at the corner of his eye.

“Oh, please. Don’t start now. I don’t want this reunion to be so sappy, alright? Let’s get to the good part!” Nathan brought his gun down and walked towards Niall. Even before Zayn could stop him, the lad already raised his gun behind Niall’s head and Zayn’s body was paralyzed. And Nathan’s expression was enough to tell that he knew what was happening inside his head. “Now, that’s more like it.” He added, pushing the gun further until Niall started whimpering.

“Fuck – Nathan! Stop it! It’s me that you wanted, right?! Well, I’m here now! Let him go!” Zayn tried to take another step, but a slight movement from Nathan’s hand made him stop.

“It’s too easy, Zayn. If I let him go and let’s say I get to kick your ass for the next 24 hours, that’d be quite boring right? And besides,” Nathan paused, leaning down until his mouth touched the shell of Niall’s ear before looking back at Zayn. “I’ve always wondered how far I could get to see you beg for a life that isn’t yours.”

“I’ll give you anything you want—“

“I told you it’s not easy!” Nathan snapped, aiming his gun back at Zayn. “Do you think you could just give me what I wanted and then I’ll let this all go? I’ve waited for this moment for so long. Everyone wanted to be where you are, what you have. Everyone tried to get so close to you, but none of them succeeded. Except for me. I endured everything. Followed you like a loyal dog for 5 goddamn years, trying to earn your trust so when you do, I’d blow your head off like what happened to your grandfather. But as usual, you knew what was going on, I even paid the price. And then, this little fellow in here came. And it all clicked. Your weakness had finally arrived.” Nathan grinned, looking down at Niall as if he just received his Christmas present. “I finally got one thing you’re afraid to lose. One thing that will hurt you enough that you’d want to kill yourself.”

The atmosphere around them got heavy and Zayn felt its weight on his shoulders. He felt like his lungs were growing smaller until he couldn’t find any way of properly breathing any longer. He looked back at Nathan, to the gun pointing at him and then to Niall. He wondered what kind of expression he was doing right now. Could Niall see right through him and see how scared he was, how regret was eating him up alive and how he feel so helpless just standing in front of him, unable to do anything while Niall’s life could slip away anytime?

Too many lives were lost because of him. Because of this world he was living in. And just as he had found the reason to finally leave it, that person was taken away from him.

“What’s the matter, Zaynie? Ran out of--“ Nathan’s last words were swallowed by the sound of a near explosion, shaking the floor. “What the fuck was that?”

“About time they arrive.” Zayn said, folding his sleeves up. Zayn heard the sound of people screaming outside the room paired with the horrific laughter and loud thuds hitting the wall which he assumed was done by his followers. “Well, aren’t they enthusiastic?”

“W-what? Who are them?” Nathan looked around, his attention caught by the crumbling ceiling, debris falling over his shoulders. “What the fuck are you trying to pull in here, huh? I told you, you should’ve come here alone!”

“And I did. The thing is you didn’t mention anything about not having a ‘back-up’. So, here they are.” And right on cue, the door opened revealing a number of guys who were hardly scarred and smiling like they’ve had the best moment of their lives. “Where’s Harry?”

“On the way here, boss.”

“Alright then. Let’s get this over with, Nathan. If you want this to be less bloody, let Niall go and let’s settle this, man to man.” Zayn offered, eyeing the gun that was still aiming at him. “Prove to me you deserve to be where I am.”

“Fuck you!” Nathan flicked his wrist back, directing the gun back to Niall’s head. “You still think I’m stupid, huh? I’m so close. So fucking close. If I’m going to lose in here, then you might as well lose one too.” He wrapped his arm around Niall’s neck, pushing his head back to his stomach while Niall whined from Nathan’s grasp, muttering curses and struggling to get away. “You still don’t get it do, do you? Whoever wins in here, you lose Zayn. You still lose.” Nathan said, pushing Niall’s chair sideways.

It was as if time had slowed down when Niall looked up at him, still managing to smile even with a gun aiming at him. “It’s going to be okay.” Niall sniffed, nodding and gradually closing his eyes. “It’s going to be okay, Zayn. It’ll all be over soon...”

Before Zayn could utter a proper reply, the ringing sound of gunshot sliced into the room. Nathan’s gun slipped from his hand, his body falling backwards. Zayn was just registering what happened when a hand landed on his shoulder and Harry’s other hand was still in the air, gun still steaming from his last shot.

The curly turned to him, looking apologetically. “He actually shot Louis so I think I’m a level higher of having the right to kill him, mate.”

Zayn nodded absently, gripping Harry’s hand on his shoulder, muttering his ‘thank you’ before he ran behind Niall, untying him hastily. The moment the ropes snapped loose, Niall turned around, throwing his arms around him, pulling Zayn in a tight hug before he started crying. “I’m so sorry. I really am. I thought if I saved Louis from those idiots, I can prove to you that I can stand up on my own, I could be next to you and not behind you, you could open up more and you’ll let me know about everything...”

Zayn pulled himself back, unable to believe what was the reason of all these. “Y-you – why didn’t you tell me you were thinking this way?”

Niall wiped his tears by the back of his hand, eyes puffy as he looked down. “You were always busy and you never told me what it was so I thought – I thought was being a hindrance for you or something...”

“A hindrance? How – why would you even think that? Niall – look at me,” Zayn squeezed Niall’s arms slightly until the blond raised his head. “I didn’t want to tell you about everything because I know you’d be worried. I know you already know what kind of life I’m living in and I just – I didn’t want you to get used to that. I wanted to keep you as far as possible. I want to keep you safe. And yet, look what happened to you.” Zayn thumbed the cut beside Niall’s left eyebrow. “You were still hurt because of me.

Shaking his head, Niall held Zayn’s hand, pressing his cheek on his palm. “No – stop, Zayn. Look, it’s not your fault. It never was. This happened to me because I wasn’t thinking and you shouldn’t blame yourself, okay?”

“I-“

“Listen to me.” Niall cupped Zayn’s jaw, pulling him close until their faces were an inch apart. “You’ve been living your life blaming yourself for everything that had happened to people around you. It’s time for you to stop now. You have to move on. You have to leave that dark place. And I’m going to be here to help you walk out of there, okay?” Niall leaned in, pressing their lips together. “You’ve saved me too many times. Now it’s time for me to save you. Would you let me do that?”

“You don’t need my permission.” Zayn wasn’t so sure when he started tearing up but there was no way his followers would see it so he buried his face on Niall’s chest, refraining to be too obvious that he’s shoulders were shaking roughly. It was all too much. The fact that he didn’t lose Niall, that he still wanted him even after all that he went through and that he’s still willing to stay.

Niall was rubbing circles on his back when Louis’s voice cut through the silence of the room. “Holy shit Zayn, are you crying?”

Zayn gripped the end of Niall’s shirt, turning away from Louis. “Damnit Louis, learn to read the fucking atmosphere!” But as usual, he was ignored when Louis threw himself to Niall, their bodies collapsing next to Nathan’s lifeless one. Niall was the first one to scamper away, screaming as he went behind Harry. “You twat. Look what you did. You scared Niall.”

“Fuck off.” Louis said, elbowing him before running his way to Niall and sticking his tongue out when he started embracing the lad and the two ended up dancing around the room.

“Finally, I got my proof.” Harry stood in front of him, offering his hand.

Zayn raised an eyebrow as he took Harry’s hand. “What proof?”

“That Zayn Malik, the gang leader of Bradford known for being cold and heartless, actually has a heart.”

“He always had one.” Zayn said, resting his hand on his chest as he looked to Niall’s direction, his heart fluttering uncontrollably at the sight of the most important person in his life, safe, alive and smiling back at him. “He was just waiting for someone to make it work.”

“Wow, you’re lines are actually worse than mine.”

“You haven’t heard half of it.” Zayn said, tapping Harry’s shoulder before running his way across the room, stealing Niall away from Louis’s grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure you leave one hell of a feedback okay? :) Also, there's going to be an Epilogue!!! So wait for it (or probably not, just pretend I didn't say anything alright so you're not going to wait so much) But yeah! Probably domestic!ziall or some smutty bitsy where zayn finally spanks niall????


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